Lessons in Lycanthropy
by bentnotbroken1
Summary: (Runner-up for Best Supernatural Fic Fall Awards in DFF) The blame, Draco would later muse, fell on Theo's shoulders. If it hadn't been for his insistence that they sneak out and throw what the muggles called a "kegger", none of them would have been in the forest that fateful night. But Theo had insisted and that was why he now had the urge to howl at the moon.
1. Lesson One: Alpha Bite

**_This fic was born from a drabble I wrote for Organized Chaos. I decided to turn it into a fic on the request of my dear writer friend, xxDustNight88._**

 ** _IMPORTANT: This is a supernatural Dramione AU that takes place during a_ 7th year _r_ _edo storyline and the werewolves in this fic are not the ones of Potterverse. They can change into full blown wolves and have pack dynamics. I have taken liberties and elements from shows such as Teen Wolf, Bitten, and Blood and Chocolate to create the werewolf recipe in this fic._**

* * *

The blame, Draco would later muse, fell on Theo's shoulders. If it hadn't been for his insistence that they sneak out and throw what the muggles called a "kegger", none of them would have been in the forest that fateful night. Greg wouldn't have challenged him to a drinking match and he wouldn't have been so completely gone that he lost all common sense. He wouldn't have ventured off all alone, leaving the safety of his circle of friends in search of a private place to take a piss. He would never have gotten turned around in the thick trees, alone and wandless. He would never have been there, so he never would have been bitten.

But that was exactly what happened. Theo _had_ insisted and that was why he now had the urge to howl at the moon.

* * *

 **October 9, 1998**

"Fucking Nott," Draco cursed, stumbling over an upturned root and dropping his wand in the process. He sunk to his hands and knees and felt along the ground, not thinking clearly enough to summon it. He was still trying -and failing- to find it when twigs snapped in the darkness behind him. "Oh, good." He called, standing up and turning around. "Help me, would you?"

Instead of the hearty laugh of Theo, or the aggravated yet adoring huff of Blaise, he was met with an inhuman growl. His heart stopped in his chest and he broke out in a cold sweat. There were so many different beasts and creatures in these woods. He should have fucking known better. Red eyes gleamed in the shadows and tracked his movements as he backed away slowly.

 _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

Another growl rumbled in the creature's chest as it stepped towards him, moonlight finally exposing an angry black muzzle dripping with blood and frothy drool. As he stared at what he now knew was a wolf, all he could think about was that this was how he was going to die. He could just see his headstone now: _Here Lies Draco Malfoy, beloved son, torn apart by a giant black wolf in the middle of the Forbidden Forest while his housemates partied less than a mile away._

The wolf stalked forward and Draco lost all his senses. He turned and ran blindly towards what he hoped would be safety. He didn't get far. His coordination was off and the wolf was fast. Even if he'd had all his faculties he wouldn't have been able to outrun the blasted thing. Maybe if he'd had his wand still he would have had a chance but he'd dropped it. So, it really didn't surprise him when he was knocked to the cold hard ground by a pair of massive paws, claws slicing through his shirt in the process. His breath was pushed out of his lungs at the impact and tears pricked his eyes as he tried to scramble away from it, but it was futile. He couldn't budge. He was pinned and all he could do was lay there under the weight of the wolf as its sharp teeth sunk into his hip, ripping into the flesh like it ripped a scream from his throat.

The pain was like nothing he'd felt before. It was acute and it burned, setting his blood on fire as strong jaws clamped down on him. He knew he was still screaming. He could feel the vibrations of it in his chest and in his esophagus. He could hear the shrill sound of it as it echoed through the trees.

 _Oh, Circe,_ he thought, _just let it rip my throat out_. He didn't know if he could handle dying slowly, being eaten alive like this, it was just too much.

Then, just when he was giving up hope and accepting his fate, the wolf released him from its hold, tongue lapping at the wound before it backed away. Draco sucked in a lungful of air and shuffled around, twisting and landing on his arse, eyes focusing on the beast as it paced around him. It looked almost remorseful, if that was even possible, as it stood there, giving him one more lingering look before running off in the direction it had come. He kept himself still, peering into the darkness and waiting for it to reemerge and finish him off but minutes passed and there was no sign of it.

When he finally decided it wasn't coming back, he let himself drop back to the ground, panting and fighting the tears that were threatening to fall onto his cheeks. He wiped them away and just laid there for what seemed like forever, but it couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes before he managed to sit up, lifting his shirt to assess the damage. He felt ill as he stared at the bite. It was still bleeding pretty heavily but he didn't think he was in any danger of bleeding to death. He took a few deep breaths and stood up slowly, taking in the situation and calming himself down. He was dizzy, weak, and a bit shaken but he knew what he needed to do. He needed to get the hell out of there and he needed his bloody wand.

"Accio wand," he shouted, pushing all his magic into the words. A second later the slender wood was in his hand and he sighed in relief. He cast a quick cleaning and healing spell before finding his way back to his friends. If any of them noticed his torn shirt and forlorn expression, they hadn't said a word. None of them asked where he'd been, or what had taken him so long and he sure as hell didn't tell them. They didn't need to know the extent of his stupidity.

The attack, he decided, would be his dirty little secret.

One of many he'd learn to keep.

* * *

 **Thanks goes to my beta, TheLittleSwan for her wonderful help.**


	2. Lesson Two: Partial Shift

**March 31, 1999**

He woke up to a familiar gnawing in his stomach and he rolled out of bed, cracking his neck and stretching his muscles as he did so. His bones ached. They always did at this time of the lunar cycle. It was something he'd quickly learned to live with the last five months of his life. The pain, the mental switch flipping in his head, and the instincts he had that he couldn't fight were his new normal.

Fingers briefly fluttered over the scarred bite just above his hip, the thing that had changed everything. The thing that turned him into something else, something predatory. Sure, he was stronger now, faster, and was able to heal from most injuries in a matter minutes, but the moonlust, the transformation, and the insatiable appetite once a month put a damper on things. It all still felt a little wrong. Maybe it always would. Though the healing thing? He could get used to that. He'd never have another scar. From now on he'd only have two. The bite, and the faded Dark Mark. It figured that would be the one thing he couldn't heal.

He padded his way to the bathroom and ran some hot water in the sink, splashing his face with it to ease his tension. He looked at himself in the mirror and let his eyes flash the golden hue of a beta. He could at least do that on command now and he tried hard not to preen at the accomplishment, but it was difficult. He was proud of himself but it wasn't all his achievement. He hadn't done it alone.

He should really thank her for that.

A knock pierced the silence, and then a soft voice called to him from the other side of the door. "Draco? I've got the cloak."

He opened the door to stare down into the chocolate brown eyes of Hermione Granger. AKA the only other person in this god's forsaken school who knew his secret. "About time, Granger," he drawled, opening the door wider and letting her in. "I was beginning to succumb to my loneliness."

He didn't miss the roll of her eyes as she passed him. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, not bad," he replied lazily, dropping down on his bed once more. "Just the run of the mill full moon stuff. You know, the aching limbs, the excruciating headache, and who could forget the craving for uncooked rabbit?"

"Hilarious, Malfoy," she said, but she was clearly unamused.

Theirs was a tentative friendship. One made out of necessity on his part. The first moons he had spent alone were bad. Very bad. All he could remember was pain, _excruciating_ pain, and debilitating fear.

He had figured out what he was a week after he'd been bitten when he suddenly started craving steak. That in itself wasn't abnormal, but the fact that he wanted it _rare_ was. He _hated_ rare steak. Then he'd started getting antsy and wanting to be outside a lot more than normal. He also wanted to be in his friends' personal space, which was the last straw. He was a Malfoy. He didn't do up close and personal.

He was just lucky that it hadn't caught anyone's attention. He had come back that year so he, and other members of his house, could prove themselves to be upstanding citizens and help with the restitutions their parents owed. He was supposed to be staying under the radar. That was kind of hard when he started wanting to run naked under the light of the waning moon.

Those first two months as a werewolf were hard. He isolated himself from his peers and tried desperately to fight his urges. It was only after she'd found out that things had slowly changed for him. The reasons she was helping him were still up in the air, but he suspected their former professor had a lot to do with it.

He still remembered vividly the day the friendship forged.

It was just before his third full moon, the last day in January. He'd been irritable and feverish the whole week and was struggling to keep his wolf from showing. He'd given up trying to focus on school work and had opted to hide out in the restricted section of the library instead. He should have known the Gryffindor bookworm would probably have no qualms in venturing into that section at her leisure. Unfortunately -or perhaps, fortunately- for him, she'd shown up at a particularly trying time. He'd tried to scare her off with a few well-phrased insults, but instead of making her run off in a huff, she'd furrowed her brows and stared at him.

 _"Something is off with you, Malfoy."_

 _"Well spotted, Granger."_

 _"Are you alright?" She'd reached out to touch his head and that's when it happened. He'd panicked and flashed his eyes at her. He felt the moment it happened and saw the golden glow in the reflection of her eyes. His heart may have stopped briefly in that moment._

 _But she hadn't looked frightened. She hadn't stepped back in shock or fear. No. She just stood there, the hand that had previously been aimed at feeling his forehead dropped to the collar of his shirt and joined the other one as the witch pulled it down, exposing his neck like she was searching for something._

 _"Whoa! Whoa! What the fuck are you doing?" He batted her away from him but she ignored him, pulling at his sleeves and turning over one nearly unmarred arm and then the other. He could have fought her harder, but the truth was, he was tired of carrying the secret of his affliction alone. He knew she knew. She was just looking for the proof._

 _"Granger!" He yelled, grabbing her hands and holding them still. Startled, she looked up at him again. Neither spoke as he let her go, her hands falling her sides. "Is this what you're looking for?" He whispered, lifting the hem of his shirt up, exposing the angry red and pink marks the rogue alpha had left behind._

 _Her fingers once again found his skin and he trembled a bit when they came in contact with the bite. "How long?" She asked, "When did this happen?"_

 _"Three months ago, give or take a few days."_

 _She looked back up and removed her hands from his abdomen. "Who? Who was it? Bennett? Crawford? Abner?" She asked quickly, leaving him no room to wonder how she knew of these alphas. "Greyback?"_

 _He frowned. "No. No. I don't think so. It wasn't Greyback."_

 _A look of relief flooded her face. "Good. Ok. That's good."_

 _"Why do you know so much about –" he trailed off, the answer dawning on him. "Lupin."_

 _She nodded slowly. "He has informed me of all the packs in the surrounding areas. For safety of course."_

 _"Of course." He agreed suspiciously._

 _"So if it wasn't Greyback, who was it?"_

 _"Hmm. You know, I didn't quite get to exchange pleasantries between the running and the screaming and the maiming."_

 _Hands went to hips and she groaned. "I'm being serious here."_

 _He laughed_ half-heartedly _. "So am I! I have no idea who did this to me! One minute I'm out in the woods minding my own business and the next thing I know I hear a growl and this thing with red eyes and a drooling snout is staring at me from the bushes. I backed away slowly like you're supposed to do with a wild animal, but it didn't work. The thing came after me and I thought I was done for but all it did was bite me. I didn't figure out until later that it was a bloody werewolf that attacked me." His breath was ragged and he had to sit down after spewing all of the information out like that. "Why does it matter who did it?"_

 _"Believe it or not, werewolf packs have rules and laws to follow just like the rest of us. A respectable pack, a good Alpha would never turn a human unwillingly."_

 _"Then I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that the one that turned me isn't respectable."_

 _"No, I'd say not," she replied quietly. "But you're really lucky it wasn't Greyback."_

 _His head shot up, a dreadful curiosity sparking inside of him as he asked, "Why?"_

 _Her eyes flicked from his face to the wall behind his head. "He…he likes to play with his victims…and those he turns into betas lately…..well….it isn't pretty."_

 _"Right. I'll count my lucky stars, then." His body had protested after that, tightening and snapping until he was panting at her feet._

 _She kneeled down, rubbing soothing circles into his back. "Tomorrow is the full moon. What do you do? Where do you go?"_

 _"Forbidden Forest. Far….far away. So no one gets hurt."_ Except him _. He_ always _hurts. He feels like he's dying._

 _"It will get better, Malfoy. You're probably trying to fight it. It only feels that way until you have better control over the shift."_

 _He'd said the last part out loud. "And how long will that take?"_

 _"It's different for everyone, I've heard."_

 _Wonderful._

 _After his tremors subsided and he could breathe again he thanked her. "You won't..you won't tell anyone will you?" The main 'anyone' in question being Potter and Weasley was left unsaid._

 _She shook her head. "No, Malfoy, I won't. It will be our secret."_

 _"But I've been so awful to you!" He'd stuttered, shocked by her sincerity. "Why would you help me?"_

 _"Everyone deserves a second chance, Malfoy." She'd smiled sadly. "Even you."_

 _He watched her walk away until she was almost out of view. "See you tomorrow night!" She'd called over her shoulder, and for the first time in_ months _, he hadn't felt so alone._

She'd spent the last two full moons with him. He'd been worried at first, not trusting himself to not hurt her, but she reassured him that she was a brilliant witch and was sure she could kick his furry arse all the way to France if she needed to. When he hadn't looked convinced she'd explained that she knew of a concoction made from Aconitum that she could surround herself with that would stop him from getting too close.

 _It would be better if we had some mountain ash_ , she'd told him at the beginning, _but I'll make it work._

It had been a compromise between them. He hadn't wanted her around him at all, but she insisted that she needed to keep an eye on him in the case of an emergency and prevent anyone else from stumbling upon his secret. In the end, he'd relented, but on the condition that she had to have this magic powder and a means to protect herself other than her wand. So far it had worked. He'd tried going after her the first time but had been burned and decided she wasn't worth the pain and ran off, though he remembered none of it.

The last time he'd been a little better. She had spent a week helping him learn control by having him do partial shifts until they didn't hurt as badly, so when the full moon came he wasn't as afraid of the pain. She told him to focus on something or find an anchor. He didn't know what that entailed exactly but he tried. She always knew what to say and what to do to make him understand what he was going through, what he needed to do. It was almost as if she'd done it before.

Apparently, after learning Lupin was a Wolf, she'd researched the hell out of it and took her interest a step further by attempting to get in touch with some local packs before returning to finish her last year. Of course, she had some end goal in mind, and that was helping reverse the stigma surrounding them and integrating them back into society while amending some of the anti-werewolf laws. She never ceased to amaze him.

"Ready to go?" Hermione asked, snapping him out of his memories. She held out the cloak, which looked like nothing but air, and motioned for him to join her. He got up and followed her lead, disappearing under the cloak.

"You know, I never did ask how you got this." He mused as they made their way out of the school.

"It's a secret." She answered and shushed him. They weren't out if the woods yet.

 _Hah. Out of the woods._

They arrived at their predestination not a moment too soon. The moon was rising rather high in the sky and he felt the pull of it growing stronger, the itch under his skin turning into an intense crawling feeling. His eyes ached and he let them change, the forest immediately becoming clear to him as he did so.

He paced back and forth, trying to hold off the transformation until Hermione could complete the circle of powdered Aconitum around her, but his fingernails were already lengthening into claws and the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth as his canines elongated into fangs.

"Any time now, Granger." He growled, watching her carefully distribute the mixture. "I know I'm getting better at this and all, but I'm a far cry from being in control. I'd rather not have to scrub your blood out from under my nails tomorrow."

She rolled her eyes.

"And I saw that!" He snapped, pointing to his own golden orbs.

"I know." She huffed but stood, brushing dirt from her pants. "It's finished. Go ahead."

"Thank fuck." He muttered around his sharp teeth and turned towards a grove of trees.

"Remember," She called after him. "If you feel the urge to turn all the way, just let it happen. Don't fight it. You'll only hurt yourself."

"Yes, yes. I know. You've only told me a hundred times."

If she said anything else he didn't hear her. He was already getting lost in the transformation, his nervous energy humming inside of him, ready to be released. He felt his face contort into a more wolf-like shape and hair sprout in places he was sure looked very unattractive. He focused on what was happening and repeated the word _slowly_ over and over again. He breathed through it and was surprised that he was still fully in control of himself, albeit with more wolfish tendencies.

He had a need to run around, so he did that, looking up into the sky and feeling exhilarated. He wasn't in pain, at least not yet. The itch had ebbed and he was grateful. This was progress. He didn't have long to think about it though because once the moon rose to its highest peak, his cognitive ability suddenly started slipping away.

 _Shit_.

He tried to calm down, tried to remain in control, but the wolf inside of him howled and clawed its way to the surface, shoving his humanity to the back of his mind. He tried to do what Granger had told him. _Don't fight it. Let it happen_. But pain erupted as his bones twisted and changed. His jaw clicked and pushed out and he hunched over and vomited.

And vomited.

And vomited until there was nothing left but the thick saliva that he was producing.

He choked and cried out when his back arched and then bent forward, the feeling of his spine breaking apart and rearranging itself almost making him pass out.

 _He couldn't do this. He couldn't..._

He fought it. He fought against the pain and the pull of the moon. He screamed and thrashed around on the ground, his clothing feeling too tight in places and too loose in others. He yanked his pants off but his shirt was already shredded. He was changing quickly. Images of the giant black wolf, his alpha, flashed before his eyes and he cried out. He didn't want to be that monster.

 _No. No. No. No._

He just couldn't let go. He was frightened. His screams turned into howls and his call was answered in turn by a few wolves a kilometer or so away.

Shit. No.

He didn't want this. He didn't want to lose himself. He didn't...he couldn't….

And then he was gone and all that remained were primitive instincts.

 _Run. Run. Run. Howl._

 _Sniff the air. Track. Chase. Pounce. Eat._

 _Run. Roll. Find water. Drink. Sniff the air._

 _Howl. Chase. Run. Run._

 _Runrunrunrunrunrunrun._


	3. Lesson Three: Sense of Smell

**A/N: I've been writing on my phone, so if there are strange spelling mistakes I apologize and feel free to let me know.**

* * *

 **April 1, 1999**

Draco blinked into awareness slowly. He was lying on his stomach, his breath disturbing the dirt beneath his face and the chill of the air making him shiver as he took in his surroundings. He was still in the forest but instead of the dark purple hue of midnight, the world was tinged a light blue. Dawn was coming soon.

He groaned and picked himself up gingerly off the ground as his bones were still rather stiff and sore. He rolled his shoulders back a few times letting them pop and his muscles stretch before looking down and scowling at the state of things. He was absolutely filthy; dirt and mud caked all over him, decayed leaves stuck in his hair, and the dried blood of an animal on his chin, neck, and hands. What he did as a wolf was always fuzzy so he had no way of knowing what _kind_ of poor animal he most likely ate for dinner, but he could still taste it when he ran his tongue along his teeth.

All in all, he was a bloody mess. A bloody, _naked_ mess.

He recalled his shirt being shredded earlier, so he'd make do without it, but he knew he left his trousers somewhere close to where he'd left Granger. He headed that way, stopping at a nearby stream to rinse at least _some_ of the night from his body. He'd rather avoid walking back to the school looking like some kind of vagabond and was sure Granger would appreciate it if he didn't smell like dead things. And Merlin, how he had smelled like dead things.

He had offended _himself_.

But maybe that was just because his sense of smell had been so strong since waking. He kept getting distracted by different scents as he searched for his clothes. He wanted to catalog everything, but he didn't have time. He'd just have to save it for later.

He was buckling his trousers when the first scent of flowers floated into the air around him, making him pause. He looked up but the path was still empty. He felt like he should know the smell, like it was familiar, yet not. He was still trying to place it when he entered the clearing where he'd left Granger. She was already outside of the circle and he frowned. "I thought you were going to stay in there until you knew I was completely myself again?"

"And I thought you were going to work on letting the full shift happen?"

He twisted his face away from her. He didn't owe her an explanation. She wasn't the one dealing with it. "I don't know what you mean." He lied, scratching his bare chest.

"You fought the change, " she said with a certain air of condescendence. When he didn't make a sound in agreement or otherwise she nearly whined, "You _did_ didn't you?"

Draco scoffed and leveled her with a glare. "If I _recall correctly,_ I said I'd _try_ not to fight it, not that I'd succeed."

Hands on hips she replied, "And if _I_ recall, you went into a full shift barely ten minutes in."

"How would you even know that?" He asked, equal parts annoyed and curious.

She looked at him strangely. "Your howl. It changes when you do."

"So you're telling me that you... _heard_ me?" He didn't know whether he should be humiliated or impressed that she could hear him from this far away.

"Yes, so you can't talk yourself out of this one, Draco Malfoy." She sounded more and more like his mother the longer they stood there. "You didn't even _try_ and we'll be leaving Hogwarts in a few months. What are you going to do when I'm no longer there to watch out for you? Where will you go if you can't control it?"

He groaned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Why don't you save your lectures for when _you_ turn into a wolf and then get back to me." A dark look crossed her face but it was gone quickly, almost quickly enough that he hadn't seen it. "Why do you care so much about it, anyway? _I'm_ the one in agony. I'd have thought it would make you rather amused, considering all the shite I put you through."

She folded her arms under her chest and frowned. "First, I _lecture_ you because I have the knowledge to help you, and you _need_ my help. And second, despite what you may think, I don't particularly get off from listening to you writhing around in pain."

That had him snickering. "I wasn't implying anything of the sort."

Her face flushed and she looked away. "Just, shut up and let's go back. The sun's coming up."

He laughed and stepped up beside her. She was always good for a light hearted tease and he'd come to enjoy their banter.

She grabbed her bag, stuffing her supplies in it, and threw what had to be the cloak over her shoulder. The scent he'd picked up earlier practically engulfed him as it fluttered across her back. His nose twitched and he found himself inhaling through it almost compulsively. Perhaps it was the cloak? Was that the source?

"You alright?" She asked him when she walked away and he hadn't followed.

He nodded and rubbed his nose. "I'm fine. Let's get a move on before we get caught."

She nodded in agreement and headed north. It would take at least fifteen minutes to get back and she filled the silence with the sound of humming. He didn't mind. It kept him distracted from everything. Or it _had._ As they moved through the trees and across the castle grounds it became harder to ignore it. He would briefly catch a whiff of it in the air; that soft and calming smell, but he couldn't pinpoint what it reminded him of. It was driving him mad.

It became clear when the cloak was thrown over them that it was definitely the cloak. He had almost coughed with the heaviness of it. It felt like being drowned. But it still confused him. Why wouldn't he have smelled it before? Were his senses still high after his run? Was everything stronger because he'd been a wolf longer this time?

His mind whirled and he walked on as if imperiused, one step after another, following her blindly along the corridors. The need to know what was happening grew into an almost unbearable longing and he almost asked her if she knew, but he felt like it was a ridiculous question. _Of course_ it was because of the moon. That wasn't the part that bothered him though. It was the fact that it seemingly _called_ to him, beckoning him closer with every step. It was getting harder to focus the longer they were under the cloak and he caught himself staring at the back of Granger's head. He'd been letting his hand brush against her hip and had unconsciously been getting closer to her as they walked.

His nose itched and then everything started making sense.

They were almost back to his room when it hit him completely, the sudden urge to bury his nose in her hair and rub his face on her throat. It wasn't because he wanted anything from her, he realized, she just smelled so... wonderful. Like something from a dream, light and blissful. It was something he wanted to smell forever.

He stopped mid step as his thought process hit him, almost exposing his shoulder as she moved ahead of him. What the hell was that? Was this what he'd been smelling all night? And had he really just envisioned himself sniffing Granger's _hair_?! Never in his life had he felt any kind of urge like it. Was it a werewolf thing? It had to be.

"Malfoy?" She questioned, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "What's wrong?"

"It's...nothing really." He started, not knowing what he could or should disclose. On one hand she could possibly know why he felt like this, but on the other hand, she may not and would think he'd gone mad. "I just...is it normal to like a smell and want to.." The sentenced tapered off as he felt his face flush.

"Want to what?" Her eyes seem to challenge him but there was a playful smile on her lips. "What do you want to do, Malfoy?"

He looked away and sighed. "I want…

"Yes?" She pushed, the glee evident in her voice.

"I want...I just want to bury my face in it ok?" There. He said it.

When he worked up the courage to look back at her face she was still smiling. "Wait, are you embarrassed?"

Draco scowled, coughing slightly as he answered, "Of course not! It's just...isn't that weird?."

"No, it's not weird. You are still getting used to your new senses." She told him and resumed walking. "If you were with your pack the urge would have been stronger at first but would have eventually tapered off."

That really didn't answer his question. "But _why_ do I want to do it? People don't usually go around wanting to immerse themselves in something just because it smells good,"

"Well, actually we kind of do. We might not want to….rub ourselves all over it, but if something smells really good, like a fresh apple pie, a roasting turkey, or a bouquet of flowers, isn't it normal to want to get closer to the source? Get your face close?"

He pondered her words. "I suppose."

"It's like that, only it's probably more intense because you're a werewolf now."

He nodded in understanding and followed her silently as they made their way through his common room. He was so lost in his own thoughts pertaining to why he'd thought she smelled good, what it meant and what exactly it was that she smelled like, that he bumped into her back when she stopped in front of his door. "Sorry," He apologized, even as he purposely let the side of his face run along her dark curls before stepping around her. "And thanks again, for you know, coming with me. I think it's getting easier...with you being there."

She blinked a few times, seemingly considering something. Maybe she'd felt him touch her hair? Maybe she was surprised by his gratitude? Whatever it was, it lasted only a moment before she finally said, "I'm glad I could help." An awkward silence fell between them and she cleared her throat. "Well, goodnight, Malfoy." She offered, and moved to leave, but before she could she paused, turning around to face him.

"Something you need, Granger?"

"Actually. I have a question."

"Yes?"

"I was wondering, what was it that you smelled earlier? There must have been something that made you ask that question?"

He raised a suspicious brow. "Why do you want to know?"

She looked down to the floor and then back up as she answered, "No real reason. I was just curious."

Curious huh?

They stared at each other, his hand on the door jamb and hers in the pockets of her jumper as she stood right outside the threshold. She looked like she wanted to say something more, maybe wanting to forget the whole thing, but before she could say anything he leaned into her space, not as close as his _wolf apparently wanted to be_ but close enough. He breathed deeply, nearly closing his eyes as the scent of vanilla and roses hit him. That's what it was.

That's what he'd smelled in the clearing and while the individual scents were indeed pleasant it was nothing compared to how they were mixed together. He didn't understand why it appealed to him, but it did. He watched her face as she looked up at him, her eyes curious and her mouth parted ever so slightly. She looked like she hadn't a care in the world, but he could hear how her heart sped up in her chest when he got closer. Well, now. That was interesting. He sighed, and straightened his back, smirking as he took in her small pout. He thought about just ignoring whatever this was, but something inside of him refused to leave it alone. So as he moved to shut the door he grinned at her, calling out "It was you, Granger," as her face disappeared behind the oak door. He sighed and shook his head. He hadn't been able to see the expression on her face but he could imagine it was probably horrified.


	4. Lesson Four: Introduction to Bonds

It took a few moments for his words to register after he'd closed the door and left her standing alone in the corridor clutching the cloak in her hand. She slowly raised the other to brush against the place on her neck that his lips had been dangerously close to touching. She wouldn't lie and say she hadn't expected it, she'd had an inkling he'd caught her scent since he'd returned to the clearing, but it _had_ surprised her that he admitted it. He'd probably only done it to get a rise out of her, but little did he know, she was already well acquainted with that type of contact. She was just happy he was _finally_ processing the changes his body had made. He'd spent the last two months focusing on one thing, and blocking out all the rest.

There was a loud clap as someone slammed a door a few rooms down. She didn't have time to be standing here thinking about what Malfoy had just done. She needed to get back to her own dorm.

She began stripping her clothes as soon as she arrived, fully intent on crawling under her blankets, but there was a small barn owl perched on her chair. "Hello, there." She said, gently patting the owls head. "You're not supposed to be here. The owlery is on the other side of the castle." The owl observed her and then looked down at its claws and back up at her.

It dawned on her. "Oh." She untangled the message from the owl's talons. "Harry." Somehow Harry had gotten an owl to bypass the usual correspondence procedures and sent her a message. She read through it and sighed, rubbing her eyes. She was _so_ tired, but instead of turning down the comforter and climbing in, she pulled out a bottle of Pepper Up potion.

She gave the warm and inviting bed one last look before slipping out the door.

* * *

Harry was already sitting at a table in the corner, drinking a pint of some sort, when she entered the pub. "A little early in the day to be drinking, isn't it, Harry?"

He glowered at her over the rim of the mug. "When you haven't slept for twenty-four hours, nothing feels early."

Fair enough.

"So, I'm going to assume this isn't just a social call, then," she said, taking the seat across from him, "otherwise you would have come to the school directly." She thought about the owl sitting in her room. "Or sent me a message the normal way."

"You're right," Harry returned without missing a beat, "It's not a social call." He cast a silencing charm and leaned forward, brushing his hand against hers as he spoke. "Greyback is on the move again and I need you to warn Abner that he's getting damn close to his territory, if he's not there already."

"Do you think he's going to cause problems for him?" She asked in concern.

"I don't know," He said, scratching the darkening stubble on his jaw. "He knows I'm on his trail so he _could_ possibly just be passing through."

"I hear a "but" in there somewhere."

" _But_ ," he sighed, "he turned _another_ beta last week and considering I didn't find a corpse, he's kept this one alive. That means he has two newly bitten beta's on his hands. They'll be struggling, and he's impatient. I think he may have other motives for coming here."

Hermione's eyes widened, immediately thinking of Draco. "He's actually rebuilding his pack, isn't he?" A tiny shiver of fear ran down her spine at the thought. If that monster got control of a stable pack of wolves, they'd be in trouble. "He's not killing for fun anymore. He's serious. He'll want them to get stronger."

"That's why I'm here. Have you noticed anyone acting strangely? Has there been any attacks lately?"

Her heart sped up a little bit. "No," she lied, "I don't think he's turned anyone around here."

Harry didn't look like he quite believed her, but he didn't push the subject. "In that case, I really do think he's here to challenge Wesley for his pack. If he kills Abner, the rest of them will fall in line behind their new _Alpha_." he spat the last word like acid, and Hermione grabbed his hand.

"Listen, you'll catch him. He's not going to get away with all the evil things he's done or the lives he's ruined."

"I'm not so sure of that anymore." He sighed. "I've been after him for _months_ now. The rest of the Aurors are chasing down the remaining Death Eaters, leaving me alone to deal with him, and it's starting to get to me."

"I still can't believe they didn't send at least one other person with you."

Harry made a sound that she was sure was meant to be a laugh, but came out rough and bitter. "I'm the _Chosen One_. Apparently, I don't _need_ any help."

She frowned and felt angry on his behalf. "If Greyback starts another murder spree, they better get their heads out of their arses and send you some backup."

He gave her a genuine smile then. "It's alright, Hermione. You're right. I'll get him." She nodded and rubbed her eyes. Despite the potion, she was still rather tired. "Hey, are you doing okay?" He asked her, voice full of concern.

She nodded again, stuffing down the sudden anxiety. Draco. He couldn't find out about Draco yet. "Just tired. Didn't get much sleep last night."

"Well, don't overdo it." He stood up and she joined him. "I'll be keeping in touch. Something feels off. I'll let you know if I find anything, and make sure you speak to Wesley."

"I will."

He gave her a quick hug and said goodbye, leaving her alone on the pub. She groaned when she realized he hasn'd paid his tab. The waitress was looking at her expectantly. "Fine." She grumbled, giving the witch the correct amount and cursing her best friend's name."You so owe me, Harry Potter."

* * *

When Draco woke from his quiet, restful sleep, he had a strange feeling in his head, or was it it his chest? He rubbed the place next to his heart, but the sensation wasn't a physical one. It was airy and almost out of reach. A tiny tug that made him fidgety and forced him out of bed. He wandered aimlessly for awhile, but when his stomach growled he gave up his ridiculous pacing and headed to the Great Hall.

When he got closer, his thoughts wandered to Granger. He was surprised he hadn't thought of her first thing, but he had been a little out of sorts. Okay, he was almost _always_ out of sorts these days but it had been a strange morning, even for him. He didn't know what exactly he'd been expecting when he finally saw her, but it wasn't a warm smile. It was like what he'd said last night hadn't affected her at all. Well, maybe it hadn't.

The pull inside of him faded into the background as he watched her eating and laughing with Lovegood and the female Weasley. Did she not hear him? Or maybe she just didn't care. He puzzled on it the rest of the time they were in the Great Hall, and when she rose and headed out into the corridor, he quietly followed.

Draco was about to make a comment about her shampoo when he caught her scent. He made a face as he got closer and paused, not immediately moving to her side. He inhaled deeply and narrowed his eyes. She smelled different. She'd been somewhere -Hogsmeade perhaps - where there'd been a lot of people. All the scents were mingling together, over powering her natural flowery one, but two scents stood out against the rest. And of those two, one caught his undivided attention. "You smell strange. Took a trip to Hogsmeade, did you?"

She must have known he was following her because she didn't startle before answering, "I don't see how it's any of your business," He could practically hear her roll her eyes, "but yes, I did."

"And met with Potter." He stated confidently, finally placing the spicy scent.

She almost dropped her books in surprise. "How…"

"It smells familiar," He moved closer to her still, but she didn't move away. She figured it was impulsive and he didn't realize he was doing it. "Process of elimination, really."

"Right."

"So, what was _Boy Wonder_ doing back here? Thought he'd be too busy rounding up.." he stopped mid-sentence and rubbed his arm.

Hermione noticed his discomfort. "Harry is...he's not going after Death Eaters. His assignment is Greyback."

Just the mention if the wolf's name sent a trickle of worry through him. "Is that...is he _here_?" He and Hermione had been out last night. He'd left her alone. What if- He could have-

She shook her head. "He's close. Harry just wanted to let me know what was going on. There might be trouble for the closest pack and he was making sure he hadn't turned anyone else."

Well, if that wasn't a bucket of cold water. He stopped and stared at her. "Did you tell him about me?" He tried hard to mask the betrayal and fear in his voice, but it still managed to seep through.

"No! Why would I..No. I didn't tell him." She insisted, and he heard no stutter in her heartbeat. "He isn't in the best head space right now. He'd automatically assume you're Greyback's. He'd shoot first and ask questions later." Her head tilted a bit, "Metaphorically, of course."

"But you thought I was at first too."

"I'm also not a hard headed, sleep deprived wizard." She looked around the hall and pushed him to the side. "And I don't really need him thinking you're in cohorts with that crazy bastard."

Her scent shifted then. Changed into something close to sour. He still didn't know what any of it meant but something said it wasn't good. "What's wrong, Granger? Should we be worried?"

He could tell she wanted to say no, it looked like it was on the top of her tongue, but then she nodded slowly. "We think he is rebuilding his pack," she whispered. "He could be here to challenge Wesley, the Alpha of the Abner pack, or - " She stopped speaking and gave him a strange look. He grunted, urging her to continue. "I also thought...he could be here for you."

His stomach dropped and he could feel the wolf stirring. "No." He hissed. "He's not my Alpha. He's not."

"But we don't really _know_ that for certain, Draco. No one in the surrounding territories is taking responsibility, and I've been in contact with them all, so there's still a chance it was him."

He shook his head furiously. "No. I'd know. I'd _know_."

"Yes, you.. probably would. You'd probably feel at least a tiny bit of a bond but -"

At her words, he felt his control slip right out of his grasp. His eyes changed and if it wasn't for her sudden and steady grip on his arms, he would have continued to shift. "What the hell was that, Draco? You can't just.." She lowered her voice, "wolf-out in the middle of the hall. Come on!"

He apologized and followed her to a secluded spot around the corner. "You said I'd feel a bond of some sort. You've said that since the beginning, but I never...I never did...just an absence...but today I woke up and there was a _tug_."

The color drained from her face. "He's _.._.Draco, if you felt something…he's..."

"He is _not_ my alpha." He repeated, unable to control the angry growl. The very thought of that bastard having any power over him made his skin crawl. "No! I won't submit to him. If he is here for me he has another think coming. I refuse to be his!"

"It won't come down to that. Harry will get him."

"Forgive me if I don't put all my unwavering faith in his abilities, I _am_ a Slytherin after all, but what is he going to do against an alpha werewolf and two betas? I know I'm not the fastest or strongest by any means, but even I could probably take Potter down."

She just stared at him and he felt like he was missing something.

"Don't underestimate him."

"Fine, okay. Let's say he can kill him, what happens if he challenged this Abner bloke first?"

"Good point." She bit her lip and he ignored the way his eyes followed the movement. "I was going to wait until tonight to tell him...but I'm not worried about my grades. I have to tell him now."

She spun around and half ran half fast walked down the hall. It only took a second for him to catch up to her. There was no bloody way in hell he was staying. He needed to be there. Protect her. "What are you doing?" She asked. As if she didn't know.

He raised a brow. "Going with you."

She halted and he almost knocked her over. "You can't! Greyback is out there."

"Exactly." He didn't want to think of her being alone...vulnerable. The thought of Greyback hurting her….his hands ached and he shut that trail of thought off. He really didn't want to lose control twice in ten minutes. "I'm not going to let you go tromping through the woods by yourself."

" _Malfoy_ ," she practically whined and stomped her foot in protest.

" _Granger_." He gave her the most serious look he could muster without it bordering on aggressive. "Listen to me. Even if I _wanted_ to let you go alone, which I _don't,_ my….my wolf wouldn't let you."

Understanding dawned on her face. "Okay. You're right. I just told you there's a threat, of course you'd be protective of me."

He wanted to say that it wasn't just his werewolf instincts, that _he_ wanted to protect her too, but it was pointless. He just nodded in agreement and stuck to her side like glue as they exited the castle; and if he let himself take in her scent, well...that wasn't really his fault.


	5. Lesson Five: Rival Packs

_A/N: This chapter is unbeta'd so if there is any horrific Sp &G errors I apologize and feel free to point them out with a PM._

* * *

 **Later**

"When we get there, let me do the talking," Granger told him as soon as they entered the forest. When he made a face she shook her head. "I'm serious Malfoy. Abner is a good alpha with exceptional control and hospitality but it doesn't mean he's going to be thrilled with a new wolf unexpectedly showing up in his territory. Even if you _are_ with me."

"So, keep quiet and look as unthreatening as possible," He muttered, "got it."

"If you could tone down the snark that would be very helpful. I'm trying to figure out how to go about this."

He wanted to argue but thought better of it. She was right. Even though she obviously knew the werewolf they were going to see, he was still an alpha. There had to be a protocol for that kind of thing, right?

"How did you get so friendly with this guy, anyway?" he asked moments later when his curiosity got the best of him.

"Well, before Professor Lupin….before he died, we talked. I asked him about becoming a werewolf rights activist and he thought that if anyone could get something done about it, it would be me. He'd been in contact with Abner because most of the surrounding packs didn't want to get mixed up in the war. He mentioned me to him, so last summer I tracked him down. He gave me information on the rest of the alphas around here. Harry and I met up with him quite frequently before Harry was assigned Greyback's case."

"Ah, about that." He interrupted. It had been bothering him since he found out. "Why exactly is Potter the one chasing him? Why isn't there any back up."

She looked over at him, eyes uncertain. "I don't….know. I suppose they think he's capable of taking him down."

There was something she wasn't saying. "Obviously he's not, though, since Greyback is still trekking across the country."

"My guess is that the new Ministry is struggling, and Greyback is low on their priority list."

"I suppose he would be, who cares about werewolves right?"

"Self-deprecation isn't a good look on you, Malfoy."

He arched a brow in amusement. "So you think I have good looks?"

She sighed in frustration and tried, and failed, to push him away from her. "Arse."

He wanted to tease her a bit more if only to ease his growing anxiety, but he knew now wasn't the time to do so. There was a real threat out there and they could be heading straight for it, so he decided to remain quiet the rest of the trip and followed her closely.

The forest, along with his worry, became denser as they trudged on, the trees growing close together and the terrain becoming more difficult to manage before the growth suddenly tapered off. He could smell "otherness" and knew they were getting closer to their destination. He remained glued to Hermione's side and tried fighting off the urge to pick her up and hightail it back to the school.

After a few more minutes of walking, a cabin with a few trailers scattered around it came into view.

" _Hermione_ Granger." A tall man with shaggy brown hair and a well-maintained goatee on his face called to them as he stepped down from the porch. "It's been awhile."

"It has," She replied, lowering her gaze to the ground and tilting her head to the side, "but I'm afraid this isn't a friendly house call, Alpha Abner."

"I assumed not, considering the wolf you brought with you." Draco involuntarily whined when the man looked at him, eyes briefly flashing red causing him to shudder and lean his neck to the side as well, exposing his throat. "The last time we spoke, Auror Potter failed to mention that there'd been any new beta's made recently."

Granger's heart sped up as another man with black hair came to stand beside Abner. "Auror Potter doesn't know about him."

This seemed to simultaneously surprise and alarm him. "Hmmmm. Then tell me, _who_ exactly is he? Whose pack does he belong to?" There was an edge to his voice that had Draco looking for an escape route.

He was now completely surrounded by unfamiliar scents and he could feel the tension and confusion in the air as other members of Abner's pack suddenly materialized out of the shadows of trees and trailers. His body was on high alert and he struggled to remain still. Every instinct in him told him to _run_ ; to _grab_ Hermione and get as far away from there as possible. But Hermione reached behind her and grabbed his hand, squeezing lightly to let him know she was aware of his distress and that it was going to be alright. He tried really hard to believe her.

"This is Draco Malfoy, and you may have heard of his family during the war but things are not the same as they were. And he's..well he sees _me_ as his pack, which is why he is here right now."

This got them raised brows from both of them. "And his alpha?" The dark haired man asked.

"Brice, let the lady explain." The alpha admonished. Brice grunted but remained silent.

"Can we come back to that?" She pleaded softly, "I _promise_ it all has relevance in our presence here."

He seemed to think about it for a moment before saying, "You may speak freely. We are no threat to your friend for the time being."

She nodded and squeezed his hand again. "This morning I heard some alarming news so I've come here to warn you that Greyback is back in the area and we have reason to believe that he may have plans to challenge you." The sounds of growls rumbled through the clearing. "We _could_ be wrong, but his behavior in the last few weeks indicates that he is trying to get stronger. He hasn't killed the last two beta's he turned and he is circling around. Harry is still on his trail but so far he's evaded him."

"And why would he challenge me?"

"If he manages to kill another Alpha he'd automatically gain their pack. You _know_ that."

"But that doesn't explain why you think it will be me." He replied.

"It may _not_ be, but you are the closest one in the area. We figured it would be better to be safe than sorry."

"True. I doubt he'd try to take me on. If he did I'm sure I'd win, but I'd rather not find out."

"Don't underestimate him, Wesley." She snapped, forgoeing his official title. If the alpha was offended he didn't show it. "He's actually pretty cunning and if he keeps turning people he could have a decent amount of wolves at his disposal, wolves that he wouldn't care if they died as long as they served their purpose and got him closer to his goal. That's why I am hoping he's not after my friend. I'm afraid that he could be."

"You really think he's Greybacks, don't you?" She nodded slowly. "And you? Draco, was it?" Draco made a small gesture with his head. "Do _you_ think Greyback is your alpha too?"

Draco cleared his throat. "I don't... I don't _think_ he is but there's been a pull the last couple of days, so I'm not sure what that means."

"That doesn't automatically mean that it is him. All it means is that your alpha _is_ nearby, whoever they are." He walked around them, scrutinizing them closely. It made him nervous. "But I'm honestly surprised you've maintained such control in their absence."

"Granger, um, she helped."

He flashed them a smile and a knowing look. "Just the two of you, huh?"

"I was the one who found him." She told him, a bit of attitude slipping through her tone. "No one else knows and I want to keep it that way."

"It's rather dangerous, though." He said. "You're not a wolf and he's alpha-less. You are running a risk with him being an omega."

"I'm aware of that, and I know I'm lacking, but so far things have worked out."

The whole conversation was making Draco's head hurt.

He tilted his head to the side, "And how long do you think your luck will last?"

Granger took a frustrated breath. "That is something I've been thinking about. And I wasn't going to ask it like this, especially with this Greyback threat."

Draco could see the obvious amusement in Wesley's eyes as he prompted, "But?"

" _But,"_ she pushed on, "I was wondering...we graduate soon and Malfoy will be alone when that happens."

It was like a shock of ice traveling down his spine. The thought of being alone, about her _leaving him_ made his earlier anxiety reach new heights. He wanted to protest and remind them all that he was actually there and able to speak on his own behalf. But the omega in him cowarded at the strength of this alpha and this pack so there wasn't much he could do besides stand there and let Granger talk for him.

"Ah, so the _relevance_ shows it's head. You want us to take him in?"

"I mean, if it is ok with your pack and with him. I know it would be a difficult transition but I don't think any of us want him to remain at omega status."

"Sir, do you think that is a good idea?" Brice finally spoke again from behind his leader. "We don't know anything about him."

"I would rather be able to look after him than run the risk of him going rogue. We are trying to get back our rights, so I'd like to avoid any more werewolves shedding unnecessary blood." He turned his attention to Draco. "After Fenrir is dealt with, if you haven't found a pack to join, you can come here. We will leave a spot open for you."

All he managed to say was, "Thank you."

Abner turned to Hermione once more. "And I must thank you for coming all this way to warn us. It is appreciated. And since you've continued to help us in our endeavors you have my word that I won't say anything to Auror Potter about your friend here, should he approach me." He stepped forward and gently took her wrist into his hand.

A growl rumbled deep in Draco's throat at the gesture and where the _fuck_ had that come from? Wesley eyed him curiously before letting go of Hermione's hand. "I apologize , it seems I've crossed a line."

"What do you mea-" she started to ask before her words cut off abruptly.

It took a moment for him to realize why it was she'd stopped. He was practically plastered to her back, arms wrapped around her protectively and body partially shifted while he made some kind of animalistic noise he'd never even _heard_ before, let alone coming from his _mouth_. Something inside him was clawing its way to the surface and he was letting it. He'd been hanging on by a thread this whole time, but this was the last straw. This wasn't right. She didn't _smell_ right. This alpha was marking her, _touchung_ her. No one was allowed to touch her. She was _his._

And with that thought came a moment of clarity. As soon as he understood what was happening he tried to reign the wolf in, calming down enough to control the shift but not enough to let her go. "Sorry...I can't...I'm sorry.," he apologized and grimaced when he looked around to see multiple pairs of eyes glued to him and Brice already shifting.

Her heart remained steady as she whispered, "It's ok, Malfoy. It's not your fault. You're not hurting me."

"She's right." Abner nodded and backed away from them, hands raised. "Your wolf won't hurt her. It just sees me as a threat. But I promise I'm not propositioning her. I'm happily taken."

Draco's grip on her loosened and after a few more seconds he was able to take a step away from her, though he was still shaking from the adrenaline rush.

She looked to the pack of werewolves. "I think it's probably time that we get back. Thank you for meeting with me."

Another full toothed smile. "You're welcome anytime."

She just nodded again in response and grabbed Draco's hand, practically dragging him back toward the thicket.

"Oh! One more thing, Mr Malfoy." Abner called after them, "I'd suggest practicing your full shift as often as possible. If Greyback comes looking for trouble, he's going to find it. I wouldn't want you to get caught off guard in the crossfire should that happen." Then he added in a whisper that only Draco could hear, "And you wouldn't want anything to happen to Ms. Granger now would you?"

He frowned, "I'll take it under advisement." He whispered back and heard when the werewolf chuckled behind him.

When they were finally out of earshot of the pack of werewolves he sighed deeply, but it wasn't until they were out of their territory that he finally felt free and regained his ability to breathe."Granger….look...I'm..."

"I already told you it's ok. You didn't do anything wrong. If anyone screwed anything up it was _Wesley_. He shouldn't have gotten close to me at all. Honestly." She griped. "And you were already out of your element and felt alone in enemy territory, add that to your only packmate being scent marked by basically a rival pack's alpha and it's a recipe for disaster. I honestly have no idea what he was thinking."

He didn't say anything for awhile, just quietly followed her back through the forest. He could tell she had a lot on her mind and he had a lot on his mind too. Like where the hell Greyback was, if he was the one that had actually bitten by him, and whether or not he could really trust Alpha Abner.

"Granger...I don't want to be in his pack," he said suddenly.

"Why not?" she asked, stopping to fully engage in the conversation. "I know he kind of messed up today, but he is one of the most capable alpha's I've met."

"It just...it doesn't feel right. I can just tell he's not mine...whatever that means. And I'm afraid...I'm afraid that if we confront Greyback before Potter does, and he actually _is_ my alpha, that I'll feel kinship….I'm afraid that I'll want to go with him...but I don't want to. I don't want to hurt anyone and I don't..."

She gripped his biceps and looked hard at him. "We'll figure it out, Draco. I promise. I won't let him have you."

Something felt lodged in his chest as he stared back at her. She was so pretty and sincere in that moment that it was almost painful. "I.. Granger." Words were lost on him.

"You're welcome." she supplied with a smirk.

Leave it to her to understand what he was thinking without him uttering a word.

* * *

 **April 9, 1999**

It had been eight days since they'd talked to Alpha Abner, and much to Draco's relief, Greyback hadn't come sniffing around. He'd taken the advice and warning of the former anyway, skipping class and dodging friends to shift as often as possible. Which was a trial really, because it fucking _hurt._

It hurt Every. Single. Time.

But he pushed through the pain, pushed through the fear, and forced his limbs to shift and his bones to break. He repeated the process over and over until he could transform in less than two minutes instead of the fifteen it had taken him before. Of course, he still didn't have control once he was a full-fledged wolf and had even ended up naked in a cave three miles away snuggled up with a deer carcass once, but he didn't let it stop him from trying. He didn't want to be caught unaware, and he _definitely_ didn't want anything to happen to Granger because of him or his inability to control himself.

Unfortunately, the bushy head witch lived up to her hype, and found out exactly how often he was sneaking away and demanded that he take her with him. She didn't want him galavanting around without someone there to look after him. Which he appreciated but it still made things harder than they had to be, because despite her encouragement and excitement when he'd finally made a breakthrough and stopped being scared of the pain, she was incredibly distracting. He'd almost have it down and then he'd catch her scent or catch her staring at him and he'd lose concentration. Then there was the little voice in the back of his head that begged him to get closer to her when he was shifting. He wanted so badly to go to her but he fought it. He fought it harder than he'd fought the change in the beginning. Abner's words were always there, making him aware of the danger posed, and he knew he would _never_ forgive himself if anything happened to her because of him.

So he fought every instinct in his body and succeeded in keeping his distance.

Until he couldn't anymore.

It wasn't like it was premeditated, obviously. It just….happened. He'd let down his guard because he'd been doing so well. It was probably the stupidest thing he could have ever done.

He'd been running when it started. He'd just shifted back, his pale fur receding into smooth skin as his body twisted into his human form. He was still feeling the euphoria of his run, his senses still heightened and searching when he saw her. She was sitting in her normal spot on a log and she smiled when she saw him, holding out a pair of trousers and a shirt. She shifted and the smell of gardenias and sandalwood hit him in the face like a freight train. He was used to her scent by now and it didn't affect him as much as it had at first, but this smell was different. It was mix of her light floral aroma and his rougher woodsy scent and it made his mouth water.

Without thinking, his legs moved, propelling him forward. He ran up to her, bypassing the clothing in her hand and closing his eyes, shoving his nose into her neck and breathing in her scent like he was starving for it.

She went stock still but didn't say anything as his hands ran up her side and twisted into her hair, his mouth opening against her throat. He felt an intense desire to bite down into her flesh but he staved it off, letting his tongue dart out to taste her instead.

Her breath hitched and her chest moved against him, her hands coming up to rest on the back of his head. "Malfoy," she whispered. "You've got to slow down."

The sound of her voice broke him out of his haze and his eyes snapped open. His hands dropped away and he jumped back as if she'd burned him. "I'm- I'm sorry." He stuttered, horrified that he had practically attacked her, that he'd lost control. _Again_. "I didn't mean…"

She raised her hands in an innocent gesture, trying to calm him down. "It's fine. _I'm fine_."

"You always say that, Granger. Stop trying to make me feel better." His eyes fell to the ground. He couldn't look at her. If he did he was afraid he'd pounce on her. His blood still sang to him, begging him to go to her, to rub himself against her, to mark, to bite, to _claim_. It scared the fuck out of him.

"Malfoy." She said again, "Look at me."

"No," he growled, honest to Circe, _growled_ low in his chest. "I can't. You need to go."

But she didn't. No. Apparently, the Chosen one's lack of self-preservation was rubbing off on her. She took a few steps forward and placed a hand on his shaking shoulder. He flinched but she kept her hand steady. "You're ok. This is...this is normal," She insisted. "You haven't been getting enough physical contact."

He finally looked up at her. She looked concerned and absolutely serious. He shook his head. "I don't do well with physical contact. Have you _met_ me? I'm not exactly the most cuddly bloke, Granger."

She frowned. "I realize that, but that was before. You're a _werewolf_ now. A pack creature. Your wolf wants to be with its pack, with _your_ pack, and right now that's _me_. Of course, you'd want to touch me. It craves affection and needs to be close with others. It is searching, seeking out someone to _bond_ with."

He scowled and pulled away from her, grabbing his pants and shoving his legs into them. He didn't want to be having this conversation, and he really didn't want to have it while he was still naked. "I don't need to _bond_ with anyone."

"Yes, you do." She smacked her hand to her forehead and groaned. "I'm _such_ an idiot. I keep failing you, Malfoy. I should have made sure...especially after the other day. You've been fighting this too haven't you? You've wanted to scent mark me for a long time, haven't you? And probably your other friends as well. Those urges will just get worse the longer you fight it."

"So what do you expect me to do? Rub myself all over Zabini? Theo? Or maybe I should fuck Parkinson a couple times?" He asked incredulously. "Will that calm my _wolf_ down?" He felt hot all over and his heart beat quicker in his chest. Panic. He was starting to panic. He needed to run. He needed to get away from her. Away from it all.

Hermione reached out for him again, this time letting her hand rest on his face. It was really concerning that all it took was her voice and the touch of her hand to calm him. "Hey. Shhh. It's ok. Listen. It doesn't matter who and it doesn't have to be sexual. It's not….it's not about that, well...it _can_ be...but it's not always." Her wrist was so close to his nose and he felt himself shift forward, subconsciously seeking it out. She seemed to notice what he was doing and she sighed, gripping the back of his head with her free hand and pulling him back into her. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and pressed his face into the place he'd been a few moments earlier. "Here." She whispered, her voice soothing his racing mind. "Breathe. Just….you need this, Malfoy. It's not weird unless you make it weird."

He did as she said and inhaled her scent, his still shaky control suddenly snapping as his nose collided with her neck. He moaned as he gave into his instincts, feeling elated as he rubbed his face against hers, mixing their scents together. He hadn't realized how good it would smell, or how good it would feel to do it. As a human, this bizarre ritual would probably make him confused and uncomfortable, but as a wolf...it made all the sense in the world.

 _It was bliss._

He backed her into a nearby tree, pressing against her without hesitation. His mouth was everywhere, nipping and sucking along her throat while his hands ventured up and down her body, shoving up under her shirt and along her back. It was intoxicating. _She_ was intoxicating. He knew she said it didn't have to be about sex. But Merlin, this was definitely about sex. He'd never wanted anymore more in his life, and as his mouth finally met hers he realized that the feeling hadn't just started today. A part of him had wanted this for a long time.

Which honestly explained some things.

She sighed into his mouth and his hands found their way to her thighs, sliding them up and down before quickly catching her behind the knees and hoisting her up. She immediately wrapped her legs snugly around his waist and groaned when he ground his quickly hardening cock against her.

His head was a mess. There were only thoughts of taking her right there against the oak tree. Merlin, how he wanted to fuck her until she was begging for release, begging for him to claim her.

He felt his canines lengthening and suddenly he came back to himself, pulling his face away from hers and slowly lowering her until her feet touched the ground. He shook his head and stepped back, waiting for her to let him have it.

But instead of an angry or confused tirade he got an amused huff. "Remind me not to let you go this long without touching me," she laughed breathlessly. He opened his mouth to apologize for the _hundredth_ time that week but she put a finger to his lips. "No. Don't even think about apologizing."

"But," he looked at her sadly, begging her to understand with his eyes, "you shouldn't have to put up with this. You shouldn't have to let me touch you just because I need it and you definitely shouldn't let me kiss you. That was crossing a line." He hung his head, the feeling of shame washing over him. "You didn't fucking _ask_ for this, Granger."

He heard her, rather than saw her move. When he raised his head her hands were already touching his face, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Neither did _you_." She insisted and released him from her gentle hold. "Besides, _have you met me_ , Malfoy?" she asked, throwing him a mischievous smile as she walked past him. "I don't do anything I don't want to do."

He watched her pick up her book and his shirt and tried to process her words. If that was true….then she wasn't just being selfless and helping him because of some need to be a do-gooder. If that was true...then she'd _wanted_ to kiss him.

If he'd been fully shifted he knew his tail would probably be wagging like a damn dog.

He groaned and pressed a hand to his eyes, trying to banish _that_ image from his mind. This little developement wasn't something he'd ever seen coming and it really threw a wrench in his quest for control. How was he supposed to focus when he knew how she tasted, how she felt, and how she said she'd wanted it?

"Hey, you coming?" She called, disrupting his thoughts by throwing him his shirt and looking way too radiant than she had any business being.

He caught the shirt easily and pulled it on, mumbling "Yes." before following her bouncing curls back to the castle.

 _Merlin,_ he thought as his eyes kept trailing to her perfect arse, _It was going to be a long and sexually frustrating night._


	6. Lesson Six: Expect the Unexpected

_A/N this chapter is unbeta'd so there may be SP &G errors every once in awhile. And on that note, if anyone is interested in being a beta for this story, just drop me a PM_

* * *

Despite her teasing, Hermione was afraid her heart was going to beat out her chest as she climbed the stairs to her dorm room that night. Her fingers brushed against her lips and she couldn't help the smile that broke across her face. She'd expected something physical from the wolf, especially after what had transpired between him and Wesley, and she'd even expected that he'd most likely kiss her at some point, but what she _hadn't_ expected was how aggressive it was. She also hadn't expected how much she'd _like it_ and how disappointed she was when he came back to his senses and backed away from her, leaving her wanting more.

She was so glad she hadn't had to share a room that year because as soon as she closed the door behind her, she started undressing and headed straight to her bed. She was already wet and she knew wouldn't take much for her to come tonight. Not with all that happened.

She could still see the look in his eyes when he'd first come back from his run, a hunger she'd never seen before blazing inside beta gold as he stalked toward her. She could still feel where his hands and his tongue had been, where his fiery touch had lit her nerve endings up like a Christmas tree. She could still hear herself moaning when his teeth had scraped across her neck. She could still taste the iron tang of blood from the cut on his lip that had happened when he'd started shifting mid snog. She could still smell the sweat from both of their bodies as he'd pressed himself against her.

They were so close…

He'd been _hard_ and if he hadn't snapped out whatever _euphoric werewolf scent marking_ state he was in, he very well could have taken her right there against that tree.

Or the forest floor.

Or anywhere really.

He could have ripped the clothes off her body with ease, raked his nails down her back, and sank his teeth into her flesh and she would have _let him_. She would have let him _wreck her_. Which honestly scared her a bit. She hadn't expected to react so strongly to him. She'd known for awhile that he was attracted to her, despite how much he tried to hide it or deny it, but she hadn't realized how attracted she was to _him_. And it wasn't just the way he looked, though he _was_ rather aesthetically pleasing to the eye, it was more than that. It was the way he looked _at he_ r when he wasn't busy keeping up pretenses. It was the way sounded when he laughed. It was the way he took everything in stride. It was the way he touched her, the way he almost challenged an alpha for her, the way he was so obviously marking her as _his_.

Just thinking about it had her aching and clenching her vaginal walls to try to relieve some of the pressure. She wasted no time sliding her hand down her body and rubbing her clit slowly, sighing at the sensation. After a moment she grew frustrated and rolled over onto her stomach, hips tilting up and fingers working over her sex roughly as she fantasised about Draco bending her over her desk and taking her from behind. It wasn't even the first time she'd had these particular fantasies about him, but this time...this time she had a bit more to work with.

She came hard minutes later with his name on her lips.

* * *

 **April 10, 1999**

The morning had started out well enough. Hermione had gotten up early, taken a shower, and had even been one of the first students to eat breakfast, but that was where the carefree morning ended. As soon as she exited the Great Hall a figure near the entrance of the school caught her eye.

"Harry?" She squeaked, a feeling of dread washing over her. His presence presented two problems.

One: Draco could come by at any moment, starting a fight that would probably end in bloodshed. And Two: If Harry was here at the school, then something horrible had happened.

He nodded his head to the door and she silently followed him outside, thanking whatever deities out there that he had decided to take this discussion elsewhere. She thought he'd start talking as soon as they exited the school, but he didn't and the way he was behaving worried her. His shoulders were hunched forward in defeat and he didn't utter a word nor sound until they came to a stop a few meters away from Hagrid's old hut.

"Are you going to tell me what this is about, or am I going to have to guess?" She enquired when he still didn't say anything.

"Sorry." he started. "It's just...things have taken a turn for the worse. I'm...I'm in over my head."

His voice as he said it indicated nothing but bad things. She took a deep breath and asked, "What happened?"

The look he gave her in return made her stomach squeeze anxiously. "Greyback killed Bennett last night."

"What!" She nearly shrieked in surprise. Salt and pepper hair and stern face flashed in her mind. "You're kidding! _Bennett_? Are you sure?"

"Yes," He replied and rubbed the back of his neck. "Unfortunately I walked in on the carnage a few hours ago. Greyback challenged him last night. We thought he'd go for Wesley but….obviously, we were wrong. Over half the pack was wiped out and... " He stopped mid sentence and shifted his focus to something behind her.

"Harry?" She said his name and slowly turned to see what he was gaping at. Her breath was stolen momentarily when she saw who it was. Oh, no. This was bad. So bad.

 _Draco_.

* * *

The first thought Draco had upon waking had him rock hard and smiling.

Granger.

It really was a testament to his self-preservation that he'd stayed in his room all night when all he'd wanted to do was sneak into her room and fuck her into the mattress until she forgot her own name. But while she had all but confessed that she'd wanted to kiss him, that didn't mean she'd be happy with him trying to get into her knickers. He'd been on the other end of her hexes before and he didn't care to experience it again anytime soon. So he'd resigned himself to a rather unsatisfying wank and tried not to imagine what she'd look like bouncing on his cock first thing in the morning.

The second thought he had caused the smile to melt away, efficiently killed his boner and ended up with him frantically pulling on his clothes as he rubbed his chest and headed for the door.

Granger. He had to find her. He had to warn her that the tug was back.

* * *

He started his search in the Great Hall and quietly rejoiced when he caught her scent so quickly. When it lead him outside he frowned. There was another familiar scent mingling with hers and he followed them until the duo came into view. He wasn't surprised in the least when he saw the wizard. He looked a bit more ragged than the last time Draco had seen him, but it was him all the same. _Harry-bloody-Potter_. Oh, excuse him, _Auror Potter._ He'd figured the wizard would have looked the same as he had when he'd left to be big bad Auror in the Auror Office but he could tell from the bags under his eyes and the three day's worth of scruff on his chin that he was living anything but a glamorous life.

He heard Hermione's worried voice as he got closer to them. "You're kidding! _Bennett_? Are you sure?"

Potter let out a frustrated sigh, "Yes, unfortunately, I walked in on the carnage a few hours ago. Greyback challenged him last night. We thought he'd go for Wesley but….obviously, we were wrong. Over half the pack was wiped out and... " He trailed off, his head cocking to the side and eyes following Draco's movements as he approached. He was fully prepared to stay silent and just wait for them to be done with their conversation. Anything concerning Greyback concerned him and he was about to say just that, but there was an odd look on Potter's face that made him pause. He looked confused and a bit apprehensive as they stared at each other and that was….different.

"Harry?" Hermione tried to get his attention but when his gaze refused to stray she turned around, finally noticing they weren't alone. "Draco. What are you..." She stopped and stared at them, obviously realizing the problem this posed and feeling the dangerous charge in the air. "Oh, bloody hell."

Neither acknowledged her out of character use of profanity as a thick tension quickly filled the empty space between them. He still wasn't used to the sixth sense he seemed to have since turning, but he'd been starting to trust it. And right now, it was telling him something was off, something was different. His body was sending mixed signals. He sensed danger despite there being just the three of them, and the sudden urge to protect Hermione was so strong it nearly propelled him forward. He _needed_ to protect her. The worry was unfounded, he knew Potter would never harm her, but the wolf inside of him wasn't so sure. His instincts were warring with his logic as they demanded that he put himself between them. His gums ached from where his canines begged to come out, his fingers twitched, and he held back a growl that was close to coming out. He'd never reacted like that to _anyone_ , except Abner. Not even on the days leading up to the full moon. He felt exposed, threatened, and powerless. Which made no sense to him. It was just _Potter_. It wasn't like he was going to hurt Hermione, or him for that matter, so he shouldn't be rooted to his spot, wary and confused.

The longer they stood there unmoving, the more aware he became that something really _was_ different, the man before him wasn't the same one he knew. His muscles tensed, preparing for a fight should one be invoked but Potter never moved. He just kept staring, studying him like he'd never seen _him_ before either. His eyes narrowed and Draco was caught off guard by a tugging sensation in his conscious. At first, he threw up a wall, thinking it was Potter rummaging around in his head but he quickly found that It was unlike the cold prodding of Legilimency and more like the soft caress of a lover. He remembered feeling that particular sensation before, but it had never been this strong. Now it was prominent and begging him to move forward, begging him to do something his wolf obviously knew how to do, but he held back. He'd never been one to act without thinking and that wasn't about to change just because The Chosen One waltz back into his life.

"Draco?" Hermione called his name softly but he couldn't look at her.

Had he been placed under a spell perhaps? He hadn't sensed magic but something was definitely going on, something important that he felt he should already know, but for some reason didn't. He wondered if his inability to move was because he wasn't sure exactly where he wanted to go. While his first instinct was to go to Hermione and protect her, he also wanted to move closer to the younger man behind her. He wanted to reach out and touch him, memorize his scent. Which was weird, honestly, not that he wasn't used to his werewolf tendencies by now, but why the hell would his wolf want to be anywhere close to _that_ bastard?

"Hermione." Potter's voice was gravelly and hesitant as he addressed her but his eyes never left Draco's face as his wand twisted in his hand. "Is there any particular _reason_ you needed to know if Greyback turned anyone last week?"

Her eyes widened and she put a hand on his chest, pushing him farther away. " _Don't_ Harry. I know what you're thinking but he's not a danger to anyone."

By the look on his face, the statement didn't seem to ease his mind. He didn't back down an inch. "He's a _werewolf_. Danger comes with the territory." So somehow he knew what he was? He shouldn't be surprised. "If he's unregistered you know I'm obligated to take him in."

Draco bristled at that. "I wasn't aware that chasing down random werewolves and imprisoning them was part of your job description." He spat, finally finding his voice once more.

Ignoring him, he turned back to Hermione. "I should have known. I could tell you were hiding something from me last week. How could you keep something like this from me?"

"Because I wanted to avoid _this_." She replied, motioning between the two of them. "I knew you'd immediately deem him a threat, and that if I wasn't careful it would devolve into an unnecessary fight. And it _would be unnecessary_. He's not dangerous."

His jaw clenched and then, "I think I'll be the judge of that."

"Oh, Auror _and_ judge?" Draco mocked, "You're job description just keeps getting longer. What's next? Juror? Executioner?"

Granger glared hotly but slowly moved closer to him. "You're _not_ helping, _Malfoy_."

"What is he even doing here? Eavesdropping?" Potter asked with a rather nasty scowl.

" _He_ is right here, you know," Draco replied, frowning. "And I wasn't _eavesdropping_. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid your life isn't nearly as interesting as you seem to think it is."

"Then what the hell _are_ you doing here?"

"I've got important information and some unfinished business with Granger." Not only did he need to tell her about the bond, but he was also concerned about a pack of wolves being nearly wiped out.

Potter's eyes looked downright murderous as he lunged forward causing Draco to take a step back. A few steps back, actually. "What kind of _business_ do you have with her?" He growled. "I swear to God, Malfoy, I will _kill_ you if you so much as laid a hand on her."

"Oh, don't get your trousers in a bunch, I haven't touched her at all." He stopped, his vindictive and petty side slipping out. "Well, no. That's a lie. Last night we-"

Hermione straightened her back and slapped a hand over his mouth, effectively cutting off the end of his sentence. "What he _means_ to say is, that we have an arrangement of sorts." She lifted her hand from his mouth but glowered at him. "And he won't say or do anything to endanger me or you. I _promise_."

"That's giving him a lot of credit, don't you think? This _is_ Malfoy we're talking about right? Getting a bit chummy with him aren't you, Hermione?" He spat, "How the hell did you two even end up on good terms?"

Draco covered a laugh with a cough, "Well, some of us have moved past our adolescent grudges and wrong doings and decided to partake in a truce. You know, build a better future for the children and all that."

Oh, if looks could kill. "Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?"

He gave him the most charming smile he could muster. "Not really, no."

"This isn't a bloody game, Malfoy."

"When did I ever say it was? If Greyback killing an Alpha is a game, it's not one I'd want to be playing."

That got his attention, and the wrong kind he'd wager by the way his eyes narrowed in suspicion. " _How do you know about Greyback_?"

"It's kind of imperative that I'm aware of things that go bump in the night. I wouldn't want to meet any other big bad wolves out there."

Potter was losing his patience, he could tell. "Five minutes," He snapped, "that's all I ask. Can you manage not to talk for five minutes?"

"I don't know," he sighed, "That is asking a lot of m-"

Draco didn't get to finish his sentence because Potter was roaring, "Shut _up_!" so loudly that a few birds took off in a hurried flight. " _Please_! Just shut up and stand there while I figure this out!"

He opened said mouth to make a quip about tempers or protest this unfair treatment but found that he couldn't utter a word. He tried again, but he suddenly felt woozy and something inside of him stirred. He stared at the ground and blinked a couple of times, trying to control the urge to flash his eyes.

 _What the fuck?_

Surprised by his silence, Potter smirked. "Oh? Nothing to say to that?"

When Draco tried to speak again, to tell him just where he could shove that wand of his, he found that it was still incredibly difficult. "Fuck…...off." Just two little words and his limbs were trembling and his head felt like it might explode.

"The two of you really need to grow the hell up." Hermione sighed in aggravation and folded her arms across her chest. "We have important things to discuss. We don't have time for this. We're not fourth years anymore. We're adults. Let's start acting like it."

"Whatever you say, Hermione." Potter huffed but Draco remained quiet, which caused her to take another look at him.

"Draco?" Her voice sounded far away. "What's wrong?"

Well, that was the question of the hour, wasn't it? He had no idea what the hell was wrong. He just glared at the blades of grass and bits of dirt at his feet as he struggled to make his limbs _move_.

Small hands gripped his arm and tugged. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I can't…" he stammered,

She seemed to be at a loss as well but the gears in Potter's head were apparently working for once, because he took a couple small steps forward. "Malfoy," he commanded quietly, all the anger from earlier disappearing from his voice, "look at me."

He followed the order impulsively, looking up and locking eyes with him. He thought that was it - _spell broken!-_ until he couldn't look away.

 _Shit_.

He _couldn't_ look away, but he suddenly felt like _shouldn't_ be looking either. It felt almost like he was challenging the other man to something. That was the last thing he wanted to do, so he let his instincts take over and did the only thing his body knew how to do. He bared his neck.

Submission, his brain offered, just like what happened with Wesley. But why would he be submitting to fucking Potter?

At that moment he heard Hermione inhale and then whisper cautiously. " _Harry_.."

He already knew something was happening, but her reaction drove the notion home. She wouldn't be reacting that way unless it _meant_ something, but he didn't have time to ponder the reasons why because suddenly Potter was directly in front of him, hands gripping his shoulders and his eyes flashing a blood red. His own flashed back in response and realization cut across him like lightening.

 _Fuck_.

Everything was starting to make a sick sort of sense.

Potter was a wolf too.

He felt a laugh threatening to bubble out of his chest. _Merlin_ , The Chosen One just _c_ ouldn'tdo anything in halves, could he? So, of bloody _course_ he wouldn't be just any 'ol wolf. No, he had to go and be a fucking _Alpha_.

Draco was really starting to think his life was nothing but a cosmic joke.


	7. Not All Alpha's Know What They're Doing

_**A/N: This chapter is dialogue heavy and hopefully answers some of your questions. Thanks go to**_ mechengmama _ **for looking this over for me.**_

* * *

Hermione could _not_ believe this.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. She _could,_ but she had hoped Harry was smart enough to not let the cat out of the bag. Or wolf. _Whatever_.

All her hard work keeping them a secret from each other was for naught now that Harry decided it was a fabulous idea to start using alpha commands. He'd been subtly doing it from the moment Draco appeared, but this was reckless. It was one thing to call Draco out on being a werewolf, but it was another thing entirely to make a show of dominance.

There was a reason why Harry's status was supposed to be a secret, yet here he was, blowing his cover. For what? A pissing contest? To show Malfoy who was boss? _Ridiculous_. She was honestly surprised it had even _worked_ on Draco. While he'd been scared of Wesley the week before, he'd still managed to exert some free will. He'd even somewhat _challenged_ him, so it was odd that a few words had him practically frozen in place. It should be impossible for another pack's alpha to force him to submit this way.

Wait.

No. He _couldn't be_.

Horror washed over her as she looked at her best friend and then back at Draco's bared neck.

"Harry.." she said his name like it could make a difference but she knew it wouldn't. He was already flashing his eyes and she saw the moment understanding dawned on Draco's face.

He was going to be absolutely _livid_. With her for keeping this from him, and with Harry because….

* * *

" _Potter,"_ Draco hissed, shrugging out of his hold. " _What is going on_?"

The question hung in the air for a moment as they stared at each other, a look of dread washing over Potter's features as he leaned back. It was almost like he was frightened by whatever it was he was about to say. Which from past experience, only meant bad things. "When _exactly_ were you bitten, Malfoy?"

The memory of the black wolf sent a shiver down his spine but he didn't hesitate to answer, "October."

" _Fuck_." The brunette cursed, "That's when... _shit_."

Hermione made a noise that was a cross between an angry whine and a sigh as she came to some kind of conclusion from the obscenities. " _Oh, Harry, you didn't!_ " She stomped her foot and fought the urge to strangle him. " _Please,_ tell me you didn't."

"Didn't what?" Draco asked, trying to regain what little composure he had left. "Why does it matter when I was turned?" He had a sinking suspicion he already knew, but he _really_ didn't want to acknowledge the possibility. It would be too cruel.

" _Because,"_ she answered him _, "Greyback_ passed through the Forbidden Forest in October." She shot a glare at her best friend. "And _who's the one_ chasing Greyback?"

Hearing the implication come straight from her mouth made his head spin and he felt like he was going to throw up. _No. No way. There was no fucking way this was happening._

He looked at Potter and was surprised to see him looking just as horrified as he himself felt. His eyes were wide and he was slowly putting more distance between both of them. "I…how? I didn't...I didn't know."

Hermione was apparently not having it. "Harry, how the hell could you _not_ know?"

 _Oh, Circe, please let this be a dream._

"It was...I had been chasing Fenrir for two days straight with no sleep...I had been so close to catching him...I was pushing myself and my control wasn't….I was tired and the pull of the moon was stronger….I briefly wanted...but I thought it had been a dream."

 _"You thought it was a_ _dream_? That's absurd. Remus told you about the automatic bonds. You would have felt it!" She screeched, "Even if you didn't know for certain, how could you not even check!?"

"I had to keep going and I didn't… I wasn't thinking. I thought I felt something but I didn't want to believe...I just.. "

"You just left!" She raged on, the anger evident in her voice."This whole time I've been trying to figure out whose pack he belonged to. I even asked around to see if there had been any rogues but there hadn't been any for months so I just _knew_ it had to be Fenrir. Wesley was curious and said it may not be him but I was still so scared that I was right. It never even crossed my mind that it could be _you_! You've never done something this horrible! Gods, when Draco felt the bond I was scared out of my bloody mind and well, I suppose those fears are now void, but I don't know what's worst. Him being that _psychopath's_ beta or-"

"Stop! Just...stop." He interrupted, his fingers moving to rub his temple. "The situation isn't good either way."

"Wait. Wait. Let me get this straight," Draco started, finally getting a word in, "What I _think_ I'm hearing, and for Salazar's sake correct me if I'm wrong, is that _you_ were the one that bit me?"

"I...yes, I think so." At least he looked a bit sorry about it as he rubbed his chest and said, "It would definitely explain why I've been antsy to come back to Hogwarts this whole time. I needed to come back for….you."

Draco let out a deranged sort of laugh. _Yes,_ it _would_ happen this way. He'd been delusional to think he'd get by without ever finding out who turned him. The remorseful look the wolf had given him that night and the pull he'd been feeling periodically suddenly made a whole lot of sense. He'd known there was something that was missing, but this? This was just, " _Brilliant_. That's just brilliant, Potter." He felt like howling. " _You're my fucking alpha_? This has got to be some kind of 's no other explanation as to why the universe would tether me to you like this. "

He got a glare in return. "It's not like _I'm_ exactly thrilled about you being my beta _either_ , Malfoy."

Hermione dragged her hands down her face and muttered mostly to herself,"I cannot believe this is happening."

" _You're_ not thrilled?" He asked Harry incredulously. He was getting closer and closer to snapping, but something inside of him said that it wasn't a good idea. "I'm a _fucking werewolf_ because of _you_!"

"I wasn't turned on my own accord either."

 _Was this bloke serious?_ "Oh, that's supposed to make me feel better, is it? That makes this situation better? That absolves you of your sins?"

"No, I'm not saying that," he insisted, "but we're in the same boat."

"So what now? I'm just supposed to...do your bidding... be a part of your...your bloody pack?"

"I don't know." He admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "Hermione is the only one left that my wolf views as pack and I've never turned anyone. I wasn't prepared to become an alpha and I never planned to curse anyone else, so I don't even know how it works."

A hand suddenly appeared between them, coming down and smacking the shorter man in the head. "You have _got_ to be joking!" Hermione yelled. "You don't know how it _works_?! Godric, Harry. _I_ know how it bloody works. You're an _alpha_. You've _been_ an alpha for nine months and you don't know _anything_? If I had thought for one moment that you weren't prepared I would have helped! You basically went _rogue!_ How irresponsible can you be?"

"I'm sorry, Hermione," He said, rubbing his head. "I didn't think it mattered as long as I was in control."

She looked like she wanted to eviscerate him. She'd been quiet the whole time they'd been talking but apparently, it was the calm before the storm. "Yes, well the control you so covet slipped and you had no failsafe. You really screwed up this time! Do you realize how this could have turned out for everyone?! What if I _hadn't_ found him? What if he'd continued suffering alone? He could have died. He didn't know how to handle it."

Draco frowned. That wasn't _entirely_ true. He thought he had been doing quite well given the circumstances.

"Draco could have _killed_ someone," she continued, "and it would have been on _your_ head for not being there to help him through the transition. It is a good thing that I was the one that found out about him and not someone else. He's already been on thin ice with the authorities. What exactly do you think would have happened if someone turned him in? Why do you think I hid him from you? His reputation isn't as good as yours. The Ministry doesn't care about your status as a Lycanthrope. You could get away with bloody murder but a former follower of the Dark Lord wouldn't be given the same treatment."

Listening to her defend him made his chest ache and fill with warmth. He hadn't even thought about all of that, but obviously, she had. She'd been looking out for him even when it came to lying to her best friend.

"And it's a good thing I know so much because of you, Wesley and Remus. He's _lucky_ he had me because he sure as hell didn't have anyone else. I've been teaching him and helping him shift. I've been helping him learn control like I helped you, but it _shouldn't_ have been me teaching him. _It should have been you_!"

He finally took a good look at his alpha and for the first time in all his years of knowing him, he saw a fully chastised Harry Potter.

"I'm sorry." He muttered and met Draco's eyes. "Malfoy, I'm...I'm _so_ sorry I turned you against your will and then disappeared." Draco could only nod. What else could he do? "There's nothing I can do to make it up to you, But I'm...I'm here now. And I promise I'll help you."

The human part of him was stunned and a bit apprehensive to hear an apology _and_ a promise come from the man in the same sentence, but now that the confusion and sense of threat was gone the wolf in him was elated. He felt it stir beneath the surface, not ready to emerge but calling out to the other wolf. Suddenly he understood. Having Granger was great, she was amazing and perfect and complex and felt like she _belonged_ , but ...she wasn't a wolf. Even with her by his side a tiny piece of him always felt alone. But now? He looked at Potter and felt something akin to family. To _home_.

"Umm...Malfoy?" His voice was much closer now than it was before, his scent stronger.

Draco blinked. He hadn't realized he'd moved forward but he was now leaning into the other man, brushing his cheek against his shoulder.

He backed away quickly, mortified. "Sorry...I don't...sorry."

"It's fine." Hermione and Potter said simultaneously.

Hermione rested a hand on his arm. "He's your alpha and you've been more or less an omega for months."

He scratched the back of his head and sighed. "Be that as it may, I'm still not used to this whole….tactile scent marking thing. Getting all cozy with you is one thing, Granger." He told her, giving her a knowing look and ignoring the indignant grunt from Potter, "but wanting to...that is...it's different."

It looked to him like she was holding back a giggle and his irritation grew. "I can't say it wasn't a strange thing to witness."

"Yes, well, I'm sure it was a good show. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"Oh, don't be cross, Draco." She laughed, playfully knocking her arm against him. "After all the embarrassing situations we've been in, you'd think it would have loosened you up by now."

He cut his eyes at her. "You're wrong as usual, Granger."

"Since when am _I_ wrong? If I recall correctly, you're the one admitting defeat more often than not."

Seemingly having enough of their banter, Potter cleared his throat to gain their attention. "Just how close _are_ the two of you, Hermione?"

Draco raised a brow and Granger rolled her eyes. "Is that really what you want to be focusing on right now?" she asked, and when he just continued to stare at her she quietly admitted, "Close enough that he growled at Wesley for touching me."

"Granger!"

"What? He was going to find out eventually."

The alpha pinched the bridge of his nose. "Malfoy, do you have a _death wish_?"

"It's not like I did it on purpose," he scoffed, "While I do enjoy a good row every now and then, I don't particularly _fancy_ being ripped apart by a pack of angry werewolves."

" _Again_ ," Hermione came to his defense, "something that _wouldn't have happened_ if you hadn't run off after biting him, Harry."

"I get it, Hermione. I bit him. I messed up."

All the talk of biting made his side twitch with phantom pain. He pushed a hand against it but the move caught his alpha's attention.

"Is that where it is?" He stared at the place where Draco's hand rested. It made him feel a bit uncomfortable. "Can I see it?"

His brow furrowed. "The bite?"

"Yes," he replied, fascination evident.

"I...I suppose." He untucked his shirt from his trousers and exposed the area of marred skin. "You sure picked a hell of a spot."

Callused fingers brushed against it and he closed his eyes. A simple touch shouldn't feel so good. _Fucking werewolves._

"It was so deep," he muttered, running his thumb along the bottom row of teeth marks. "I can't believe I did this."

"Why?" His voice was quieter than he'd intended when he spoke, "why do you think you bit me?"

"Honestly?" he proposed, dropping his hand to his side, " I think it's because I needed help. A pack makes us stronger. The need for power must have been so strong it overrode my humanity for awhile."

Draco hummed in response. "It makes sense. And in your defense, and I mean _tiny defense_ , you looked pretty remorseful for an angry slobbering mutt."

He rolled his eyes. "Well, at least now I can sleep easier knowing I felt bad after attacking you. Maybe I'm not beyond hope after all."

The way he said it made Draco pause. "Hey, don't get all self-deprecating on me, Chosen One. You were out of your mind at the time. The wolf inside did this," he pointed at the bite. "Not you."

There was a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Thanks, Malfoy. I appreciate the attempt at understanding, but what I did to you was horrific. I can't pretend it's not my fault. I gave into the urges. I let it happen. So, whether I logically chose you or not, doesn't matter. The fact is, I bit you without your consent. I have to live with that."

He could hear the truth behind his words and felt the heaviness in the air as the ramifications of his actions became ever clearer.

Draco cleared his throat, attempting to alleviate the awkward silence. "So, what happens now?"

"Now," he stretched his arms out above his head, "we focus on how we're going to take out Greyback."

"What do you mean, _we_?" Hermione cut in.

He turned to her. "We. As in Draco and me."

"You want Draco to help you?"

"He's my beta, Hermione. We would be stronger together and it is obvious that I can't do it alone."

"But he still hasn't mastered the shift and the two of you really need to talk and figure this out."

"I didn't say we were chasing him down _today_. I still need to work out a plan, so we have time."

His reasoning calmed her and gave Draco an opening to speak. "What's our first move?"

"Well, first, the two of you need to get back. They have probably noticed you're missing."

"What about you?" she, asked.

"I'm going to speak with Wesley. Bennett's death was messy and he needs to be aware of the details. We may have to temporarily join our packs to handle this turn of events. We can't afford to let Fenrir get stronger."

"Be careful, Harry." Granger pleaded softly.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine." he looked over at Draco and nodded. "I'll contact you as soon as I've figured things out with Alpha Abner."

He acknowledged his statement but didn't respond as he watched the other wolf disappear into the treeline.

"Why didn't you tell me about Potter?" he asked when he was sure they were alone.

Guilt flooded her features when she glanced over at him. "I thought about it, honestly. But I didn't really think it was relevant at the time. His status is a well kept secret right now. Only a select few know he's a werewolf and he's never lost complete control like that before. I had no reason to believe he was the one that bit you."

He thought about it for a moment. He couldn't lie and say he wasn't upset with her, but he wasn't angry.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Draco. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was protecting you by keeping it to myself."

"I won't say that it's fine," he told her, "but I _do_ understand your reasoning. I don't blame you and I know if you had known Potter was my alpha you would have told me."

"I would have." She gave him a weak smile. "How are you dealing with this, Draco?"

"I'm not." he admitted. "I keep telling myself that it is better this way and that I should be grateful that it's not Greyback. But it's going to take me awhile to be ok with this. I never...after Voldemort I told myself I'd never let anyone have that kind of control over me again...and well, here I am. Under Potter's thumb."

"I know the two of you don't have the best record, but I promise you, Draco, Harry would never try to control you like that."

"So what do you call what happened earlier, if not bringing me to heel?"

"He didn't know he was your alpha then. He was just being a cocky prat. Now that he's aware, he won't do that again," she insisted, adding, "at least not on purpose."

"Forgive me if I don't hold my breath, but I've haven't had many positive experiences with him."

"That's understandable, and I admit that this won't be a walk in the park, but at least trust me when I say you're safe with him."

His eyes caught hers. "I will always trust you, Granger."

Her mouth dropped a bit in disbelief. "Even after what happened today?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "You've done more for me in the last three months than anyone has done for me in my whole life, besides my mother. You had every reason and opportunity to turn me in or hurt me, and you chose to help. You helped someone that hated you, someone, that wasn't anywhere close to being a friend at the time. A lie by omission doesn't wipe that all away. You're my friend. I trust you."

Her face lit up. "You see me as a friend now?"

T _hat's_ what she got out of that little speech? "I thought that was a given?"

"No, well, yes, I felt like we were friends, but you are rather reserved. I never know what you are thinking or what you want. I don't want to presume anything."

He highly doubted that. After the Abner pack incident and the full out snog session the night before, what he wanted was becoming fairly obvious.

"Well," He smirked and leaned into her, "I _know_ we are friends, but I'm starting to _think_ my wolf wants to be a little bit more." He swiftly turned around and began walking up the hill to the school. "But you already knew that didn't you?" He called back.

She didn't answer him but she didn't need to. Whatever it was he was feeling for the witch would have to be put on the back burner. They had enough on their plates as it was.


	8. Lesson Eight: Responsibility

_**A/N: This is a Harry-centric chapter so please don't get disappointed in the lack of Draco snark. I thought it was important to see a little bit of Harry's reaction when he's not around Draco. (sidenote; chapter is unbeta'd because I'm impatient.)**_

* * *

Harry trudged through the woods, waiting until he could no longer hear the heartbeats in the clearing before allowing himself to pause. He'd held it together pretty well back there, he thought. He'd been handling the situation rather calmly, but now? He looked down at his hands as they trembled. He couldn't compartmentalize this anymore. It was too much. What his wolf had done, what _he_ had done was too much. It was _unforgivable_. He was no better than the beast he was tracking down.

At that thought, his stomach lurched and he barely had time to lean against a nearby tree before he was emptying its contents, which wasn't much to begin with, onto the ground. Tears stung his eyes when there was nothing left and he choked on his own spit and disgust.

 _Fuck._

 _What had he done?_

This had to be a bad dream. He _couldn't_ have done this! It wasn't like him. He was the bloody _Chosen One_ , for god's sake! He was _good._ He just couldn't believe...no...he'd felt the bond. He'd seen the bite. He'd _touched_ it. He'd _remembered_.

 _No. No. No._ He closed his eyes and groaned, feeling the sweat gathering on his brow but not bothering to wipe it away. The reality was quickly settling down on him, a pale neck and amber eyes flashing behind his lids as he clenched his fists and bit his lip in frustration, the metallic taste of blood catching his senses. It was his fault those gray eyes had slipped into gold. It was his fault that another scar had made itself at home on his body. It was his fault that Malfoy….

Malfoy was a _werewolf_ and it was _Harry_ that had made him that way.

It was appalling.

He hadn't been faking it when he'd apologized to him. He was sorry. He was sorry for a lot of things.

Despite how the conversation had started out, it had ended with the blond laying the blame on his wolf, thus somewhat letting him off the hook, but Harry knew the truth. He'd been an Alpha too long for it to take him over like Draco had suggested. He had only lost control of his wolf once since he'd become an Alpha, and that was on the first full moon. So he knew what happened in October wasn't a simple case of lost control. There was a small part of him that had remained present, a part that remembered _wanting_ a beta that night. He'd _yearned_ for it, searched for it, _hunted it._ There had always been that need, of course, but he never planned on giving into those dark desires. He'd been forced on this path and he would never do that to another human being.

Except, that is exactly what he'd done, hadn't he?

He'd given into the selfish want, the animalistic need. Damn the consequences.

He growled and held his head in his hands as he slid down the tree to sit on the ground next to his pile of sick. He had forced himself on Draco. He'd forced The Bite on him just like Fenrir had forced it on Harry. All the loathing he felt for the older Alpha came rushing to the surface, only now it was laced with bitterness and self-hatred as he realized he was no better.

If they survived this upcoming fight, would Draco come to loathe him too? When he figured out what the cost really was, would he blame him for destroying his life? For making him a _half-breed?_ If he was smart, he would. He'd hate Harry, more so than he already did. As he should. Harry _wanted_ him to hate him, despise him even. It was only what he deserved.

And Merlin, the look on Hermione's face when she'd realized what he'd done….He'd never seen such disappointment in her eyes and he didn't blame her. He'd fucked with her life just as much as he had Draco's. She'd put herself in danger to help and protect the snarky arse. She could have died...both of them could have died and it would have been on him. He should have listened to his instincts when they told him to come back, when he felt the gravitational pull in his chest, the tiny speck of presence in his consciousness, but he'd ignored it. Some Alpha he was. Not only had he behaved like a fucking monster, but he'd left his beta alone, confused, and in pain. He'd thought of nothing but the task he'd been given and his own personal vendetta. He was surprised Malfoy hadn't punched him in the face.

But he couldn't really do that now, could he? He'd be unable to raise a finger against him right now if Harry so wished it.

 _Perks of being an Alpha._ He thought.

Another round of nausea hit him at that and he struggled to swallow down the bile.

He'd used his influence to control him. He'd used _commands_ on the older boy. He'd made him _submit_. What was worse though, was at the time he'd been incredibly smug. He had felt _powerful_. He suddenly understood why power was intoxicating. That's why he'd never wanted to be an Alpha in the first place. He didn't want to reign over anyone. He didn't want to bend others to his will. He'd always thought it would be hard for him, yet it was so easy with Malfoy. The rush he'd gotten when he'd bared his neck….

Godric, he was ashamed of himself.

Someone as proud and pretentious as Draco Malfoy would be incensed that he had lost his control. In his case, for the _second time_. He'd survived the Dark Lord's brief takeover and come out relatively unscathed. So what did that say about _him_? What he'd done to him was worse than what _Voldemort_ had.

 _Stop._

He had to stop thinking about it. Only anguish awaited him at the end of this road. He had to get it together. Greyback was still a huge threat and Abner needed to be warned. He didn't have time to throw a pity party for himself. Draco was his beta, no matter how much he wished he wasn't, and he couldn't take it back.

He stood up and ran a hand through his scraggly hair. It would be quicker if he shifted, so he quickly discarded his clothes, not bothering to fold them or place them down neatly, and let the wolf take over.

It was as easy as breathing these days. He'd spent countless months shifting between his wolf form and his human one when he was on the trail. Apparating was pointless when it came to picking up scents. He'd tried it the first few weeks but had found it easier to go about it like Fenrir was, as a Werewolf, not a wizard. He'd had to be quick and nimble about it if he wanted to capture the crazed bastard. Not that it had helped him in the end. Greyback had always slipped through his fingers. He just knew the woods and mountains and grasslands better than Harry did. He'd spent his whole _life_ on the run. He knew exactly where to hide, much to Harry's irritable dismay.

Once he was back in his fur his worries faded into the background. The world was so much simpler as a wolf. Sure, he still felt things, but human emotions were sharper and deeper than those of the wolf. They didn't cut him or wear him down. He was lighter, freer. It was easy to leave his guilt behind him as he ran through the forest, dodging fallen logs and hopping over streams, enjoying the feeling of dirt beneath his paws and wind tousling his fur.

It didn't take him long to reach the thick grove of trees that marked Abner Pack territory. He slowed his gait and stopped just outside of it. They didn't know he was coming, so he prepared himself for an ambush.

Bones clicking and fur receding, Harry stood to his full height, careful not to seem hostile as he entered Alpha Abner's territory.

He'd sensed a scout a few miles back so it didn't surprise him when half the pack surrounded him the moment his bare feet passed the invisible line. A few bolder ones, already shifted into wolves, growled lowly in their chests but most knew that despite him being outnumbered, it was unwise to provoke an Alpha.

A dark-haired man pushed through the small circle and cocked his head to the side. "Auror Potter?"

Harry recognized the pack's second in command and nodded to him. "Brice."

"We weren't expecting you."

"I know, and I apologize, but it's urgent."

The two of them assessed each other for a moment before Brice motioned for someone to head back the way they came. They returned a couple of awkward minutes later, a shirt and shorts in hand.

"Thank you," Harry said, accepting the clothes and slipping them on while the wolf spoke with Brice.

"Alpha will be here momentarily." he told him.

Harry nodded and waited, ignoring the fidgeting pack around him.

He heard the Alpha before he saw him, swaggering his way through the trees. Wesley certainly gave Malfoy a run for his money when it came to cocky and dramatic entrances.

"Ah, Auror Potter, "Abner spoke in a light tone as he came to a stop in front of him, "Or are you actually going by _Alpha_ Potter now?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Why would I start going by that?"

A dark smile spread across his face. "That's normally what one does when one starts their own pack."

Dread filled his empty belly. He couldn't know? Could he? "I don't know what you mean by that."

Wesley laughed. "Oh, please. I wasn't born yesterday and I've been an Alpha since you were a second year. You sent the girl to warn me last week," he paused, "and she brought a _friend_." Harry swallowed but kept his gaze firm. "I have to say, I didn't think you had it in you, but you chose well. The boy surprised me. Give him a year and he'd be an excellent second."

A few of the others made noises of confusion, obviously unaware of what their Alpha was talking about.

"Miss Granger told me of his predicament, poor thing, being Bitten and left alone to fend for himself. She was so distraught trying to figure out who it was that had done it. I had my suspicions from the moment he crossed into my territory, but seeing you here, now…"

The look of condescension Wesley gave him caused him to bristle. Anger mixed with the shame and guilt and he didn't have time to stand there and let the Wolf talk down to him. He gritted his teeth and held back a growl before saying, "I'm aware of my shortcomings, Alpha Abner, and I'd be more than willing to discuss them all at length with you another day." That earned him a chuckled. "But right now we have more important things to discuss."

A brow raised he asked, "Such as?"

"A Pack Alliance." Tension filled the clearing and he could hear and feel the beta's uneasiness.

The Alpha was quiet for a moment, thinking. "There is a good reason I'm assuming? We've doubled down on security and have been running patrols. Has Greyback made a move?"

"He killed Alpha Bennett last night."

Wesley held out a hand to silence the sudden outburst of angry growls and upset mutterings. "I thought you said he'd come after me?"

"You were our first choice, yes. But there was always a chance he'd go after one of the others."

"What happened to his pack?"

Harry's eyes hardened when he remembered the bloody scene he'd come across. "Most of them were killed in the scrimmage. By the state of their bodies, a few were obviously executed afterward. I can hazard a guess as to why. I don't doubt that they refused to submit to their new Alpha."

"So he's forcibly taken the rest." Harry nodded. "Damn. This isn't good."

"That's why I came to you. We can't let him destroy our chance to gain equality in Wizarding society. We need to take him down and I can't do it alone. We need to team up, Wesley. It's the only way to end this once and for all."

"I promised my pack that I wouldn't do anything rash," he said, rubbing his temples. "But sod it all, things can't continue like this." He turned to his second, "Brice let the rest of them know that we're having a mandatory meeting tonight and not to bother me until then."

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, Auror Potter. Follow me. We need to deliberate."

The two of them left the others to their own devices and reconvened in Wesley's trailer.

"It won't be easy. You know that, right?" Abner pointed out after taking a seat at his dining room table, "You and I have a...mutual respect, but the others…"

Harry pulled out a chair for himself. "I'm not asking you all to be friends, only temporary allies. I don't give a shite what you decide to do after."

"And does the Ministry have any idea that this is going on?"

"No, not yet. I haven't contacted Ron since Monday so I'll be reporting back to them shortly. But there are things that I'm wary of disclosing."

"Like your beta?"

"I'm not talking about Draco right now," he muttered, folding his arms across his chest. If he had his way, he wouldn't be talking about Draco with Wesley at all.

"Maybe we _should_ be talking about him," he suggested. "This...alliance includes him as well."

He had a point. "Yeah, it does, but I don't...he will fight with us."

The Wolf gave him an unreadable look. "You seem unsure."

He sighed loudly and rubbed his head. "The truth is, I only found out about him this morning."

A shocked silence followed. "I had a feeling it was something like that," He said, leaning back in his seat. "The story Miss Granger gave us about his turning wasn't pleasant."

He winced, "The circumstances weren't…. I...I'm not _proud_ of this. I'm bloody pissed at myself even."

"What happened, Harry?" The older Wolf asked, suddenly serious and dropping all formality now that they were in seclusion. "From what I know of you and our interactions, that isn't like you."

Harry buried his head in his hands after finding that he couldn't quite look at him. "I lost myself one night while chasing Greyback. I hunted him down. I attacked him and gave him The Bite without his permission." His voice shook as the words left his mouth. Physically saying them and hearing them in his own voice somehow made them even harder to swallow.

A steady hand on his shoulder settled him. "Listen, Harry. I know what you're thinking and I'm telling you that you should really stop. It's not the same."

And he would know, wouldn't h?

"You're not your Alpha. What happened that night... It doesn't make you like Fenrir. It's not the same. And it's happened to all of us at some point. The first few months are intense. I turned two betas before I got a handle on my wolf."

"Still, I wasn't prepared for that. I didn't...I never wanted to turn anyone."

"And that is _exactly_ why you are different from him. When it comes to our packs it's about what kind of Alpha we are, and want kind of Alpha we _want_ to be. It's all about intent. Fenrir Greyback gets off on controlling people. As long as I've known him he's been that way. Preying on the weak, turning them against their will, and killing them when he grew bored. He's been creating chaos to feed off of long before you crossed his path. It's what he does." His eyes hardened, driving his point home. "He knew what he was doing. He made a _choice_." fingers tightened around the muscles in his arm. " _You_ lost control. You didn't deliberately go out with the sole purpose of destroying someone's life."

Harry nodded slowly, trying to make himself believe his words. "It doesn't change the fact that I've ruined a life though."

Wesley sighed, letting him go, and leaned back against his chair once more. "No, it doesn't. But there is nothing we can do about that now. You can only move forward, and you have to do it quickly."

"I know. I know. Now isn't the time for me to lose my shite. I didn't come here to angst about my lot in life. We need to come up with a plan and get in contact with the others. The longer we wait, the longer he has time to do whatever it is he's planning to do."

"Let me take care of that. You haven't made enemies of them yet, but you're still wet behind the ears and a "ministry dog" at that. No pun intended."

"Will they listen, you think?"

"Bennett's death will concern them. If he can take down a seasoned Alpha and gain control of his pack, who's to say it won't be them next. I know James won't let that slide. He'll want to take action."

"Good, so we can count on him backing us up." He made a mental note to attempt to get along with him. "Anyone else we can be sure of?"

"Carla Avery may be easily persuaded. Her grandson was killed in the last battle after being brainwashed by some unhinged Wolves like Greyback. She'd be a good one to have on our side...but I'm not sure about the rest of them. I'll have to put on my best negotiator shoes."

"And if the Ministry wants to get involved?"

"It wouldn't be wise for them to make a move while we are gathering, especially with things the way they are now, but if that is their prerogative then there's nothing we can do to stop them. It could cost us allies though."

"Alright. I'll get with Ron back in London and see if he can persuade them into letting us try to handle the situation before they step in."

"Hopefully this can be taken care of quickly and quietly." A thoughtful pause. "Though I wouldn't count on the latter. It always seems to be a raucous affair when it comes to our kind."

"Unfortunately I'm going to have to agree with you. And my life wasn't quiet before, either."

"Trouble seems to follow you everywhere doesn't it."

He had no idea how true that statement was. "Makes me wonder if I'm cursed sometimes."

"You're a wizard. Wouldn't you know if you'd been cursed?"

A chuckle passed his lips. "You'd think wouldn't you."

"You've seen enough trouble to last two lifetimes so I truly hope this is settled soon. For your sake."

"I appreciate it, but knowing my luck we'll have a rather nasty fight on our hands."

"Even so. We play our cards right and he won't stand a chance. We can end it once and for all."

Rubbing his eyes he replied, "I hope you're right." Then moved to leave the table. He'd done what he came to do, so there was no reason to stay in another Alpha's territory. "In any case, I really need to get going."

Suddenly the hand that had been reassuring him just ten minutes earlier was firmly grasping his bicep. It took a lot of control, that he frankly couldn't spare, to hold back the instinctual growl that rumbled in his chest. A quick look at the Alpha's face told him that there was no reason for alarm so he tried to shove away the growing anxiety. "Actually, hold on a minute. I need to talk to you about something else."

Well, anxiety was officially back up.

Uncertainty washed over him. Had he been reading this encounter wrong? He had honestly thought things were going well considering the dire circumstances. "What's that?"

"I couldn't help but notice a few things about your little pack when they visited me. Your beta is rather protective over your packmate."

That wasn't as bad as he'd thought it would be, though the image of Draco growling at him made him cringe. "I'm sorry, Wesley. Thank you for not attacking him on the spot."

"It's alright. I didn't mind. He wasn't trying to step on any toes and I knew that. He is ignorant of customs and uncertain of his instincts and place in this world. That isn't what I was concerned about."

"Then what?"

Fingers ran across the surface of the wooden table. "I suggest you pay close attention to Mr. Malfoy. There were some things I noticed…..The boy is no threat to you, of course, but it wouldn't do to be blindsided should anything... happen."

Harry wasn't stupid. He knew exactly what the Wolf was insinuating. He'd seen the signs and felt the bond, but there was only room for one crisis at a time in his head. Draco's behavior towards Hermione was pretty low on the totem pole of problems at the moment. "I'm aware of the possibilities."

"As long as you're aware. No one can say I didn't warn you. And I'm assuming that since you are taking responsibility for him now, he'll have a better handle on his wolf anyway, but lycanthropy isn't an exact science. There could still be problems."

"I know."

"I'd also suggest spending a lot of time with your pack That boy needs his Alpha."

 _Yeah, I got that, thanks._ He mocked to himself. "If that is all, I should probably get going." He stood from the table and pushed the chair in, heading towards the door. "I told Hermione I'd let them know what is happening." His hand rested on the handle and he was about to turn it and walk out when he stopped and faced him one last time. "Thank you, Abner. Not just for hearing me out, but for everything else."

"You're welcome." Brown eyes blinked at him, "I was in a position much like yours once upon a time. Things were different and more dangerous back then. I didn't have a mentor or anyone to lean on. If I can help you, in any way, I'm going to try to do that. If we are to be allies in this upcoming battle it wouldn't hurt to be friends when we make our way back into normal civility."

"I'm honestly relieved to hear that because I haven't a fucking clue what I'm doing."

Wesley let out a barking laugh. "Do any of us, really?"

"I guess we'll see." He shrugged, pushing the door open. "I'll be staying in Hogsmeade for the time being. When you find out what the others want to do, you can have someone contact me there."

"Stay safe, Alpha Potter."

For the first time all day a little bit of the tension left his shoulders. "Yeah, you too."

* * *

 ** _I know you all probably have a lot of questions, and I promise they will be answered, you'll just have to be a little patient. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter despite it being solely Harry's POV._**


End file.
